Shrink Wrapped
by sweetdreams-sunnymornings
Summary: After Twelve Sharp...what happens NEXT? And how is everyone coping? Things are not quite what they seem...Ranger, Stephanie and the guys, including Anthony, head to Miami to help Julie 'adjust'. Babe HEA, no Joe.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! I promised a new, longish chapter story and this is the one I've decided to post this summer [2012]...Like many of you, I loved **Twelve Sharp**, even the ambiguous but oh so romantic ending of "One Ranger is all you 'll ever need."

But like most of JE's books, and in fact many other books I've loved, there were so many unanswered questions: What happenened NEXT? How did Julie cope, how is Ranger? and so on. And over the years I've written my version, which wil be posted here. Of course, we know, in my Mercenary Ranger world, he and Anthony are off to a job in Panama almost immediately. [**Panama** is on my blog.] This story takes place just before. There's a smidge of angst and zero plot, but it also has a lot of backstory for the guys...and so it is definitely a Mercenary Ranger fic. How it fits into the Take a Chance arc is beyond me...maybe just before, or between that story's flashback and present? In other words, you'll be happiest if you don't try to force the continuity too strictly. [or AU to TAC but histories are part of MR world?] This IS after all, fanfiction...I hope you enjoy.

Safe for Cupcakes, no Joe at all.

I will also be posting a shorter story, **Saving Julie**, on my blog...that fic is everyone's POV about the rescue scene, and sort of a prequel to Shrink Wrapped..

Standard fanfiction disclaimers apply for entire story.

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**SHRINK WRAPPED**

**.**

**.**

_**Prologue**_

**Monday afternoon, a hot June day** in Miami. I am expecting a new client today, a little girl who had been kidnapped, held for twelve days, finally rescuing herself by shooting her kidnapper. I had received the referral from the child's pediatrician. He told me that he saw no sign of PTSD in the girl but her family, rightly so, wanted her to have counseling. He added that the child's biological father was very wealthy. I surmised he was telling me that for this referral at least, I'd get paid in full, no sliding scale. Not that that matters, of course.

My name is Marilyn Sanders and I am a clinical psychologist specializing in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The mother came to see me last week. Her name was Rachel Martine and she arrived promptly to interview me. All quite correct and properly handled, I felt. Mrs. Martine was a beautiful woman in her mid-thirties, I estimated. She had a honey tanned complexion, brown hair with golden highlights, and warm amber brown eyes. I guessed she was perhaps part Latina, hard to tell. She was dressed in simple but expensive clothes, I know Prada slides when I see them.

I shook her hand, gestured to a chair and sat myself down to read over her introductory file. _Hmmm._ Her husband was an air conditioner repair guy, hard to think he could afford to dress his wife in Prada. Although this _was_ Miami and I suppose air conditioner guys can charge big bucks when you need them bad. They had three children, all in private schools too. And an excellent address. I flipped to her insurance info, paid for and guaranteed by Rangeman LLC, Carlos Manoso being the person to whom all bills went. The name rang a bell. Oh yeah, kidnapping. Lots of coverage in the media.

I said, "Tell me about Julie. Briefly: what happened to her? If you don't mind.

Rachel Martine gripped her Hermes bag tightly and took a deep breath, then she looked me in the eye and began.''Julie is my oldest child, her father and I were divorced since right after Julie was born. My husband Ron legally adopted Julie when she was four. She sees her biological father a few times a year, knows who he is, seems to accept the situation. My husband is, for all intents and purposes, her father.''

''Go on.''

''A few weeks ago Julie was kidnapped by a man who wanted to assume my ex-husband's identity, take over his life, his world, his family…''

''A stalker?''

''Yes. A crazy, deluded stalker. He kept Julie chained in an unlit room for twelve days, finally drugging her and using her to lure Carlos, my ex, to a place where he could kill him, his final act in taking over Carlos's life. Carlos went into the apartment, his girlfriend's apartment, unarmed. To negotiate. The crazy guy shot him six times, Julie grabbed the gun and killed the bad man, trying to save herself and Carlos and the girlfriend.''

''Her father was not killed, as I recall,'' I said.

''No, he was wearing a Kevlar vest. But he was hurt quite badly, bullet-proof vests don't work so great at point blank range.''

Mrs. Martine stifled a sob. I said, ''This is hard, but was Julie sexually molested?''

''She says no, that the man wanted to be her dad.''

More tears, dabs with tissue. I asked, ''How has Julie reacted to this? Any symptoms, regression, clinging, nightmares, crying…?''

''No. that's the thing, she is just like Carlos, all calm and cool and collected, 'I did what I had to do, mom.' "

''Go on.''

''Well, Carlos is an ex-Army Special Forces officer, or maybe not so ex, _oh, madre de dios! —_ don't tell anyone I said that!" I nodded reassuringly, no clue what she was talking about. Mrs. Martine went on, "— and he is a bounty hunter and a security expert and god only knows what else….part of the reason our marriage had no chance! So I can understand him acting that way. But a ten year old child, my little girl…I'm concerned.''

''What does her father say?''

''Ron? Well he says I must do whatever is best for Julie.''

''No, I meant her biological father—Carlos, is it?''

''Yes. Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger. Julie calls him Ranger, well, we all do, I guess.''

''And?''

''He agrees that Julie should have counseling, someone to talk to, whatever she needs. Ranger is intimidating, but but he's no idiot. Really, he _is_ a good man, very generous and he loves Julie a lot. He'd do anything for her.''

She seemed determined to convince me, but I already had the thought, _Well, yes, he walked into a killer's trap on purpose, to offer up his life for his daughter's. What more can a father do…what greater sacrifice?_

I gave a moment's consideration to the sort of courage and resolve that would make a man walk helplessly into almost certain death. And I guessed that his generosity explained Rachel's Prada shoes and designer clothes.

I said, ''Will the biological father be available to come to some sessions with Julie?''

Rachel Martine stared at me, various thoughts going across her face. For a second it looked like she might laugh, then she sighed and said, ''Right now he is still hospitalized in New Jersey but I am sure he will be willing to come to see you if you feel he should. When he is able to, I mean.''

I asked, ''Why did you look amused?''

She said, ''Oh sorry, I was thinking, _good luck getting Ranger to talk!_ He'll stare you down and say nothing, zip, nada. But hey, you'll enjoy the view! Not appropriate, I guess, but—well, you'll see when you meet him.''

''I remember seeing his picture on TV, he was very handsome in his Army uniform.''

She said, ''Uh huh.''

''Why was that photo so censored?''

''Black ops, doctor. Don't ask, don't tell.''

Taken aback, I hesitated, finally said, "Isn't that about homosexuality? The Army's former policy? Uh...?"

Rachel Martine gathered her purse and stood. "Not in this context, Dr. Sanders. Just, ah, don't ask."

tbc

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Thank you very much, in advance for reviewing. It means so much! I'll maybe post twice a week, if you all like the fic...we'll see how it goes.

I'll let you know when Saving Julie begins on my blog, too.

a/n yes I know, in 12, Julie did not kill Scrog but in my world she did...


	2. Chapter 2

**SHRINK WRAPPED**

**. **

a/n: remember this story takes place at least 6 years ago, before texting and iPads, iPhones, etc

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_**Chapter Two - Julie's Prologue**_

_**.**_

Julie Martine sat at her computer, pretending to do her homework. She was thinking hard. She knew Ranger was still in the hospital, maybe wouldn't get an email right away. Finally she emailed Tank, typing in:

tank 

**Tank, I need to talk to ranger, either secure phone or IM, pls advise?**

**hugs,**

**Julie**

...

_Beep - you have mail_

Julie clicked on her secure email address and opened the response from Tank. It said:

**Baby call R on his/ur secure cell any time during the evening he is ex ur call**

**t**

Julie giggled. No way would Tank send hugs! Even though this email was encrypted, she carefully deleted and then erased both emails. Of course she knew how to cover her email tracks. Ranger had taught her that. Among other things.

Julie pictured that final scene in Steph's apartment. She, Julie, playing limp and stoned. Then her chance, grabbing the gun. Scrog, in his crazed desire to emulate Ranger, had made it easy for her. He used the same Glock 9mm that Ranger carried and that Ranger had carefully taught Julie to use since she was like maybe—seven?.

Julie had grabbed the oh so familiar weapon and performed like the expert she was, shooting center mass, bangbang. Scrog out. He had been a moving target so she had not gone for a head shot. Lucky for them he had not been wearing a flak vest. And that Ranger had been.

Julie checked the time, 8.30 PM. Her mom would be busy getting the younger kids to bed, camp started early in the morning for them. Julie checked outside her door, then closed it carefully. She dialed Ranger's cell and he picked up on the first ring.

He said, ''Hey, baby.''

''Hi, daddy.''

''What's up?"

"Not much. I'm finishing up my classwork that I missed. I have makeup exams next week.''

''Bummer.''

''It's okay. Um…..How are you?''

''I'm good, baby, I'll come see you soon, as soon as I can.''

''Okay.''

Julie's voice was as little as her heart was big. She sounded so tiny and vulnerable on the phone.

_Whispers over stainless steel_, Ranger thought, lying back painfully in his hospital bed. He loved this child, this odd and wonderful miniature female version of himself. Their resemblance was remarkable, even in a family where the strong good looks were very visible and unmistakable.

Julie was very beautiful.

Ranger thought, _shit!_

He said, ''But?''

''They're sending me to a shrink, I went today.''

Silence. Julie knew Ranger was trying to figure out what she was thinking/ feeling.

In Trenton, Ranger sighed to himself. This must be how people—how _Stephanie—_felt when they tried to get _him_ to talk. He grinned, evil grin.

He said, ''And.''

''Aaaaaand. She wants me to write a journal about what happened and what I think and feel and how I felt and stuff.''

?

''And I wanted to know what you want me to do.''

Ranger quit smiling and grimaced. _Oh man…_

''Chica, if you think it's good to—uh—tell her stuff, go ahead.'' Then, ''Do you trust her?''

''Daddy!''

''I'll take that for a No. But, Julie, a good counselor can help you get over any bad feelings that you have.''

''Yeah, like trauma?''

''Yes.''

''Should I make stuff up? Like say I have bad dreams and stuff?''

''Do you have bad dreams, Julie?''

''Well, no. Not about the creepy guy or anything. Sometimes I dream things like I forgot to study for a test or something.''

Ranger smiled.

''Yeah, I know how that is. But you're sure you're okay. Tell me the truth, Julie.''

''Truth, daddy.''

''Okay. Use your best judgment. Be careful.''

"I just want you to know that I won't forget our deal. I won't forget our promise.''

''I know you won't, baby. But you do what you have to do. Promise me.''

''Okay.''

?

''I promise, daddy.''

''Call me if you want to talk, I'll be sure this phone is on for you. Or contact Tank. And—you can trust Stephanie, anytime, with anything, with your life, my life.''

''I know, daddy, I met her.''

''I'm so sorry, baby.''

Julie smiled. She was back to being called _baby_ and _chica._ Ranger only said _Julie_ when he was worried. Or angry. And he never really got angry with her.

''It's okay.…..Ranger?''

''Yes.''

''Was what happened my fault? Mom said….''

''What.''

''Well, not to me, I overheard her on the phone with my aunt Megan.'' Megan was Rachel's sister-in-law, Ron's busybody sister.

''And.''

''She said it was 'cause I look like you and we are too—um—pretty.''

''Did she say pretty?'' Ranger thought ''pretty'' was pretty disgusting, geez.

''No. She said we are so beautiful that it is dangerous. What does that mean, Ranger, I can't help how I look and you look nice to me.''

''You look nice to me too, baby. I think your mom was just really scared and was venting, do you know what that means?"

''Yes.''

''Okay, so let it go."

"I better go, daddy."

"I love you, baby.''

''I love you too, daddy.''

...

**Julie hung up the phone** and opened the Word program for her Journal. She would have to walk a careful line. She could tell some stuff, stuff about feelings and about when she was little and Ranger was her real daddy and came to see her wearing his GI Joe clothes. But she would never tell about their promise, the pact, and how they always pretended that he was just a stranger. That her daddy was not close to her, he didn't know her, didn't love her.

That part was make-believe, like the script for a play or TV show.

Julie had even lied to Ranger's friend Stephanie who he loved. Because of their promise.

Julie could hear her own voice saying, "My father? You mean Ranger? I don't know him real well."

And Stephanie saying, "He is very special." And you could see how much Steph loves him. In her eyes.

But Julie knew Ranger very well and she knew that he loved her, he was her _daddy_. Not like Ron who was her Dad. That was different. She knew to pretend that Carlos Manoso was just a name on the checks that paid for her school and her clothes, her sports teams and piano lessons and ballet.

And her mom's clothes and car and this house and the pool and on and on. Ranger was rich. And generous. In return, Rachel let him see Julie whenever he could. They were very alike and very close. She loved Ranger. And she'd never break her promise to him, he was her best secret.

Julie smiled and began to type, her small face the exact and beautiful image of her biological father's face, the hair, the eyes, the million dollar smile.

tbc

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Thank you all so very much for you encouragement and comments and reviews! More, more! LOL. Thank you for reviewing!

sunny


	3. Chapter 3

a/n Since you've all been so encouraging and left lots of reviews I am putting up Ch 3 tonight as a reward. I am also going to try hard to get the first third of "Saving Julie" up on my blog late tonight [7.20/21.12] . It will be a somewhat AU prequel to this story. —

...Someone told me awhile ago that prologs and epilogs are a very big literary No-No in modern fiction! [But, uh, prequels are very cool, who knew? Wouldn't it be awesome if JE did Ranger's prequel, like his military career!] Anyway, good thing I have NO intent to be, lol, literary! What can I tell you, all the players wanted to have their say...

**Shrink Wrapped**

**. **

**Chapter Three - Stephanie's prolog**

_Stephanie_

**That night I sat in the ER, Joe on one side of me,** Tank on the other, Lester just beyond. Julie sat snuggled on Tank's lap, she seemed to know him and Lester and she showed no fear or shyness around them.

I sat and thought about Julie. It took my mind off worrying about Ranger. I replayed my moments with her in my head-

"_You mean Ranger? I don't know him real well."_

And—

"_This is my father! I am going with him!"_

And—

Small, competent hands moving lightening fast, grabbing the big black Glock 19, the experienced two-handed grip, the sure shot that killed Scrog. The calm, the resilience, the bravery. The unimaginable beauty. For a moment I was sidetracked, wondering if the girl's exceptional looks had been a factor in her kidnapping. She said Scrog had not molested her, but still…the face, the hair, the miniature Ranger-ness.

I went on with my thoughts: Ranger saying,

"_I am not emotionally attached to Julie, it doesn't hurt that another man is her father, she is happy…."_

Ranger does not lie to me, I had always believed that. But now I sat and I wondered.

An ER nurse and some woman from Child Protection Services came over to check on us, on Julie. I had expected them to immediately admit her into the pediatric wing, but Tank had stood firm, saying wait for her mother to arrive.

Now these people were suggesting that she and I clean up, get some food and drinks in us. Tank and I wordlessly decided okay and Tank sent Zero off to my sister's house to get us clean clothes. Julie was older than Mary Alice but petite, I figured her sweats would fit. And so the long night dragged on.

**I didn't get back to my half-formed ideas** about Julie until a few days later when I sat by Ranger's bed in the hospital. He had been moved from Intensive Care into a very nice VIP suite! Lots of people in and out—very confusing. Every guy from Rangeman. A general with a lot of stars on his shoulders. Spooks and politicians. The FBI. All his personal friends, and he has a LOT of friends.

It got so busy (and Ranger looked so exhausted) that the doctor put his foot down and said, _No more partying!_ And so only Tank and I and Ranger's youngest brother Anthony were allowed in the suite.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

**Ranger did not look happy. He should have—**great drugs and a chance to get some much needed R & R. At least that's what Tank told him. Ranger responded with stony silence and Tank smiled and left us alone.

I said, "You know, Ranger, I was thinking."

"Always dangerous, babe."

"Ha ha."

?

"Well, this is sort of none of my business…," I began.

''Never stopped you before.''

''Ok, so what's the deal with you and Julie? You said you hardly see her, don't care about her, just—you know, a financial burden. And she said she didn't really know you, calls you _Ranger._''

?

"You trained her really well, Ranger. Even as scared as she must have been, only 10 years old, she never gave you up, she never let it slip that that was all just a fucking cover story!''

By the end of my short tirade I was, well not screaming, but, uh—loud.

Ranger raised an eyebrow.

?

''Yeah, she's good. She shot that Glock like a pro, everything you taught her, the grip, the stance, the aim. But that night when we saw you in the ICU, she made one tiny mistake.''

?

She hugged you and said, _I love you, daddy_. And you said, _I love you too, chica_. I was right there, heard you both. I saw your faces, I know you love her, she loves you. You are not just some name on a check to that child, you are her daddy.''

Ranger thought_, Babe, of course I love my baby, my daughter. What did you think? Do you really think I am so cold, so heartless, that I don't care for her? I suppose you don't think I love you either…._

He stifled a sigh.

''And you know what, Ranger? She never cried, she said, _I had a job to do and I did it._ She didn't learn that from Rachel and Ron!''

''No….''

''Do they even know?''

''Sure.'' _Sort of…._

''Why did you lie to me, Ranger? I felt so awful for you, here you are, the father of this exceptional—and need I mention absolutely gorgeous—child, a child you should be able to love, to care for, to enjoy. To be so very very proud of, but no—you told me you don't give a shit about Julie. I felt so sad. My heart broke for you.

Ranger finally decided to say something. To explain, just a little. Must have been the pain drugs.

He said, ''I promised myself and Julie, we had a deal—a pact, then, if that's a better word. We'd have our special time together, I'd be her daddy, but it was our secret. To protect her.''

''Not that it did.''

''No,'' he agreed calmly.

I sighed, looking at the familiar blank face. Ranger was so handsome that he looked great even in a hospital bed, stone-faced and angry. I studied his familiar features, the Latino eyes, the satiny brown skin, the straight nose, the wide generous mouth. The long eyelashes that curved on his high cheekbones now as he closed his eyes, retreating into his fatigue and pain and aloneness.

Julie's daddy. He lied to me to protect his child, and to stand by his promise to her, her promise to him. She would never betray him—he could not betray her, not even to me. I couldn't hate him for that or hold it against him. It hurt but I understood.

I remembered that night at Scrog's apartment, when Ranger saw the pictures of Julie. He had been upset. I knew even though he tried to hide his distress. I thought it was because he was angry that a stalker had got close enough to photograph her. And I thought he was surprised and dismayed to see her in a photo, to see and realize how much Julie looked like himself. There was no possible way to deny that Julie is his child, she looks _exactly_ like him, all the more amazing since she is a tiny doll-like female child and he is a big tough very masculine guy. Sometimes I think that Ranger doesn't really know what he looks like, how he appears from the outside. He always seems unaware of his beauty, he never uses it or trades on it. And so I had thought that Julie's looks caught him by surprise.

Now I thought that he was just stunned and terrified for his beloved child. A child who obviously meant the world to him. A child that he would die for, a child who would kill for him. _My life for_ _yours, no price, not ever._ The promise.

Finally Ranger said, ''I regret that I lied to you, Stephanie. But I won't apologize for keeping my promise to Julie.''

After quite a long silence I said, ''Julie is intelligent and brave and resilient. She is exactly like you. It will take more than a vow of secrecy to hide her.''

The door opened and a nurse stuck her head in, saying, ''Visiting hours have been over for at least 15 minutes. The patient needs his rest.''

Ranger stared at her. I rolled my eyes. And she scuttled out.

I leaned over and kissed Ranger's cheek. He turned his head at the last minute and our mouths brushed. Despite the quiet friendliness of the almost kiss, my blood rushed hot with sudden desire. Ranger's good hand touched my cheek and we stared into each other's eyes.

I said, ''It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow.''

I moved away and walked to the door. Just before I left I said silently, _I love you, Ranger. Be happy. Please._

Ranger watched her leave and thought, _I love you, too, babe. Be safe._

And the tears that were held back so firmly through the long ordeal slowly fell down and were gone.

tbc, in Miami! Early next week. Action!

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Thank you very much for all your reviews! love, sunny


	4. Chapter 4

**Shrink Wrapped **

**.**

**Chapter Four - The Story**

_Dr. Marilyn Sanders POV_

**We made the appointment for Julie** and now she had arrived, appearing calm, cool, and collected. She was escorted by an armed bodyguard, a scary-looking young Hispanic man, muscular and handsome, early twenties maybe. He followed her into my office and stood arms folded, back against the wall by the door.

I introduced myself to Julie Martine, and refrained from asking where her mother was. Who sends a child to a therapist with only an armed bodyguard? _Yeesh..._

I told the little girl to call me Marilyn and said, "Julie, what we talk about is private, there is no need for your friend (what do you call a twenty-something gangbanger with two teardrops on his face, anyway?) to remain in the room.''

Julie shook my hand and said, ''Georgy (I realized later the guy's name must be Jorge, but she gave it the American pronunciation…) does not speak English. But even if he did he would never repeat what he hears in this room. Unless he felt he needed to do so for my protection.''

_This person is ten years old?_

She fixed her big brown eyes on me and said, "He stays."

She seated herself gracefully and tipped her head questioningly.

I nodded, leaned back in my desk chair, examined the girl, momentarily short-circuited by the child's looks. Ten year old Julie Martine was petite with dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin, obviously Latina. She resembled her mother not at all. She was exquisite, like a china doll. Destined to grace the cover of Vogue or Bazaar in a couple of years, no doubt in my mind at all. Her perfection was saved from being intimidating only by her wide brilliant smile and curious, intelligent brown eyes.

She smiled at me and said, ''I look like my biological father.''

I just nodded, catching a brief smile on the face of the bodyguard. I wondered if he understood more than she admitted to me. _He obviously knew the father_, I thought. I tried to refocus, made a nonsense note on my yellow legal pad.

The session went slowly. As her mother had said, the child was blocking or avoiding. She answered calmly but briefly, showing some but not much emotion. And what emotion she did show seemed to be faintly amused tolerance, with a dash of skepticism. If she had not been kidnapped and forced to kill a man, I'd be impressed by her quick wit and her charm.

I thought quickly:…_too old for play therapy or art therapy._

I decided to ask her to write about her experiences in a journal instead. I pulled a black and white composition book out of my desk and offered it to her, explaining what I wanted her to do.

Julie politely took the notebook, but then she said, "Would it be okay if I typed it on my laptop instead? I can make a zip drive copy for you to read, you know how to do that? I can show you if you need me to….."

Hmmm. Technology in action, but well okay, why quibble? I told her that would be fine.

And so our time together began.

…

**Julie's Journal**

**My name is Julie Martine and this is my journal.** The shrink says I have to write in it, my thoughts about being kidnapped and being adopted and whatever _worries _me. As if! But I guess I can delete the parts I don't want the shrink or my mom to read.

I'm not supposed to call the woman a shrink, she is a counselor. I'm supposed to call her by her first name: Marilyn! And I'm supposed to have PTSD, which means Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, cos, hey some crazy guy kidnapped me!

So, OK, let's see—I was walking home from school, from the school bus stop on the corner, with Carrie and Maria, it was almost the end of the school year. Next year I'll be in Middle School, hope it's not so boring. Anyways this man came up behind us and he pulled me by my arm away from my friends and then something happened because the next thing I recall I was in a trailer, a camper I mean. The guy told me we were in NJ and that he is my real dad, Ranger.

Yeah right, buddy. ROTFLMAO?

My real dad, my daddy I mean, is tall and strong and young and scary. And he is so hot that people stop and stare at him. My real daddy is freaking gorgeous. And like I said, scary. Armed and dangerous. (My mom won't like it if she reads that!).

This loser—Chuck—crazy eyes, bald spot, weird high voice. Bad, bad clothes. Yeah, OK his hair is cut like Ranger's and he has Latino skin and eyes and I guess he is not a bad looking guy. But he is no Ranger. When I was little I thought my daddy looked just like an action figure, like a GI Joe doll. He wore army clothes when he came to visit us. But anyways he is as pretty as a doll—he is perfect. He doesn't have a beer belly. Or bad breath.

People don't think I remember him, when he was my daddy. But I do. I call him Ranger now, like my mom told me to and I know Ron is, like, my Real Dad—he goes to my soccer games and my swim meets and stuff.

But when I was little I had a different daddy and that was Ranger. I remember him, I do. He was so big and warm and cozy and he smelled nice, he used to hold me and hug me and he talked to me in Spanish sometimes. Then mom married Ron who they told me was my dad now and my other original daddy, Ranger I mean, only came to see me on Christmas Day and he never hugged me anymore. It made me sad.

Sometimes now when I see him, he seems sad too, I can tell. I look into his eyes and he tells me in my head, no words, that he loves me. So why would I ever think this a-hole Chuck is my dad? Yeah, Ron, OK I get it but Chuck? No way.

tbc

Thank you for reviewing!


	5. Chapter 5

**Shrink Wrapped**

**.**

**.**

**Chapter Five - Julie's Journal / entry 2**

**I met with the shrink today.** She asked me about this diary, so I showed it to her. She promised that she'd never tell ANYONE but I don't think I trust her, I'm gonna cut/ paste a copy for her.

After she read it she asked if I ever remember my parents talking together. And I said, About me? And she said, Well….? So I said I once heard my mom telling Ranger that she was worried because I looked just like him. And Ranger said, This is a problem, how. Mom said something and R said, You are a beautiful woman, Rachel. You can be her role model. Mom said, I'm OK but she is like you, something, something. In a few years she'll be as beautiful and wonderful as you are! Ranger said something else but I couldn't hear him, he has a really soft voice.

So then! The shrink said to me, Do you think you look like your biological father? Well, duh. I said, When we were together in New Jersey at the hospital all these people who know him would come up and say, Omigod she looks just like you, she is so beautiful! And Daddy would just look at them mean. Some people said freakin' beautiful, effing beautiful, friggin' beautiful…but that is what they said.

The shrink asked me again if we do look alike. So I got out my new phone (pink Razr) and I showed her the picture that was on TV when I was kidnapped. She-the shrink-nodded. Yes I saw that, he was very young. In that pic daddy is about 20 years old and he is wearing his fancy army outfit, like a suit. Not his regular GI Joe clothes. And he has a lot of colored things, like ribbons or stripes on his chest. His hair is real short too. He looks like me though.

On TV and in my phone pic there are blurry sections on his shoulders and collar and chest. Mom said the army censored the photo to protect his privacy. Uncle Tank said it as to keep his rank and specialty secret. Whatever that means. I gotta remember to ask Ranger sometime.

The shrink said, Is that the only picture of your biological father that you have? Well, it _was_. My mom never wanted me to have his picture, she is real focused on the Ron/ Dad gig. But I downloaded this one from the Net and then Stephanie sent me another one, more recent. I didn't say anything to the shrink though, I just flipped to the other Ranger pic—he is standing somewhere that looks desert-y, hot and dry. He is laughing. Lots of dark hair and white teeth and a rifle-y gun. I'm just a kid and he is my dad and he is like grown up and old, but even I can tell that he is hot. I know, _euuuuw_, but what can I say, it's like if your dad was Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt or something. Only younger. And better. A LOT better.

The shrink said (I love this!) Holy shit. Yep she was looking like all women look when Ranger smiles big like that. She said, Omigod, wow, he is so beautiful, he looks exactly like you, Julie. I said, I rest my case.

She got ahold of herself and said, I never met your biological father because he was in the hospital and now he is recuperating, but he is a very nice looking young man. I just looked at her and then she said, How does that make you feel, for people to say you are beautiful? Now while I was in Jersey I met my Uncle Antonio and he looks like my dad only he has blond hair in these funny looking dreadlocks, and he is an army special forces sniper. I don't think they know I overheard that part. Anyway he is very hot and he taught me what to say when people say you are pretty—oh ok beautiful. Because he is very very pretty, yeah ok! beautiful and he has had lots of practice. (Even tho he has, like, goofy hair.) He said, Try to just say thank you and change the subject. But if they get into it, like what's that like, just say "It's not about being beautiful, it's about being a good person on the inside." He said that always shuts them up. But I think he IS a good person on the inside and my Daddy is too, you can feel it when they are in the room with you. You just feel all warm and safe. And they do good stuff that is dangerous and scary, for our country. Stephanie, when we were Chuck's prisoners, told me they are heroes and even though it sounds silly she is right. So I said the thing Anthony had me memorize and the shrink looked thoughtful! Huh.

She said You seem very mature and smart, Julie.

Thank you, Uncle Antonio.

... ... ...

_No problemo, m'hija._

* * *

tbc

Thank you for reviewing! This was short so I'll try to put up a chapter late Fri or Saturday?


	6. Chapter 6

a/n Thank you everyone for all the nice reviews and PMs!

Again a somewhat short chapter: each entry in Julie's journal deals with a specific issue and some entries are long, some short. I like to present the info one entry at a time, so the issue discussed isn't lost in the telling of too much iin one post. Thx for reading along!

* * *

**Shrink Wrapped**

Chapter 6

**Julie's Journal / entry 3**

**I saw the shrink today.** This time she asked if I felt scared when I was with Ranger. I said, No. She said, Well maybe not before but what about now? What if he comes to visit? Will I be frightened? I was thinking, Did my mom ask you to ask that? But I just said, no again.

The shrink did the silence thing so I added, to make her happy, Ranger is not scary. (Exactly). He loves me and he would never hurt me or frighten me. It was the crazy guy Chuck who chained me up in the dark all alone. She asked me if I wanted to talk about that and I said no. So then she asked me about when I shot Chuck, like do I remember doing it? And I said yes. She asked me what was I thinking when Daddy walked in. I was thinking, Daddy where's your gun? And Ranger told me and Steph with his mind that he loves us, he will always love us and not to be sad if the crazy guy kills him. He tried to tell Steph with his eyes too cos her ESP isn't real good.

And then Chuck killed him and I jumped up and took the gun and I killed Chuck before he could kill me and Steph. Because that's what Ranger would want me to do, otherwise what's the point in him letting the jerk kill him, it was a distraction. So I did, It was my job and I did it.

And Uncle Tank and the other guys said I did a good job and then we also found out that Daddy wasn't dead, he wore his vest and he is OK. Which is good because since Steph doesn't do ESP, she didn't hear him say he loves her. So he has to get better and do it out loud, like Use Your Words, like they say in kindergarten.

I said to the shrink, _Marilyn_, I did what I had to do, he was gonna kill us all. He said so a bunch of times. I meant Chuck. You know. Scrog.

I guess she followed the gist because the shrink said, How did that make you feel, were you afraid? I said, Sure. She said we'd talk about that more next time, OK? Our time is just about up, Julie.

Well, whatEVER! Just when she gets to the good part she shoves me out the f^&*ing door. Freakin' door, I mean.

Whatever.

**tbc**


	7. Chapter 7

**Shrink Wrapped**

**Chapter 7 - Julie's Journal / entry 4**

This time she asked how I knew how to use the gun.

I lied, yes I did and said I learned playing video games. As if they have Glock 19s in arcades! Yeesh. Ranger took me to the shooting range a bunch of times and he taught me, obviously. He said Don't lie to your mom if she asks, chica. Promise me. I told him, She won't ask. And he just nodded a little cos he knew no mom would think her kid's bi-o-logical aka birth dad would teach the kid to shoot. For fun. But you know, some days the beach mall park are boring, or hot or rainy so he taught me. He said it was to be safe too because even though he keeps his weapons locked up at home there are a lot of guns around because of his work. He is a security expert and a military contract agent. My real daddy is a mercenary. Like those guys on TV, you know, like The Unit.

So one time when he was teaching me 'bout the guns and I asked him What about the thinking thing? I was really little, maybe 8 or 9. He said, What. He doesn't use question marks when he talks, it's how he uses his voice, no up at the end. And his voice is always soft like velvet. I guess if he was still my dad he would never yell at me like Ron does sometimes because he never gets loud. But maybe he gets mad anyway, he just is quiet. So I was a little worried what to say and I thought to him, This. I mean this. I can hear your voice in my head sometimes. And he looked back at me real hard and he said out loud, What do I say in your head, baby. And I said, You say that you love me. He said, That's right. And we didn't talk about it anymore. But when Chuck was holding us prisoner I tried to talk to him, Ranger I mean, not Chuck, and tell him where I was (not that I like _knew_, not really), but I didn't feel him in my head until the day we went to Steph's, when Chuck took me there and captured Steph. Then Ranger heard me calling him and he came. He knows I can do it. I know he does. But I think it is a secret, I won't tell.

So I said to the shrink, I like video games. They are fun I play online too.

Oooops. Now mom is gonna freak. I said, You promised not to tell, this is con-fiden-shal, right. I emphasized the word for her not because it's like a big word to me or anything. She nodded but I don t trust her a bit.

While Ranger was in the hospital, like I said before, I met my Uncle Antonio, the one who is cute and has blond hair and tattoos. He was sitting with me by my dad who was still unconscious and I felt him say to Ranger, You gotta be okay, man, I need you I love you. And I felt these very strong feelings, like warmth and light and safe. And even tho they were being sent to my daddy I felt that way too. And I laid my head on Anthony's chest and he held me tight. After awhile he said in words, Can you hear me when I speak to Ranger in my mind. And I nodded. He said, Is it OK? I nodded some more. Not scary, is it, baby? I whispered No. He said, Can you feel other people's thoughts, chica. Nod. He touched my face and looked into my eyes. He has these awesome eyes like black silk. I said, But, you know, I don't _listen_, I shut them out. I only listen if someone is sending me a thought, that's all. He said, Good. I said in his mind, Are you able to talk to everyone in your mind like this? And I felt his surprise and happiness that I could actually talk in his head, not just hear and he smiled big like Ranger does. Geez, Crest WhiteStrips, anyone? He said back at me, No, only Ranger usually. The rest I block out, they can't hear me and I don't want to know their thoughts, baby. Trust me.

I said back to his mind, I do, yeah. And he did the warm/ safe thing and I fell asleep in his arms. Even tho his guns were sorta digging into my sides.

…

tbc

a/n : for those of you who think Ranger should not have taught Julie to shoot, I have a similar ambivalence. However one of my readers here on ff [thanks for insight!] told me her father was a police officer and he made sure all the children in the family knew, at a fairly young age, how to load/ unload/ shoot a handgun. And that her dad thought this was safer than untrained curiosity. And of course, Julie's training saved them in 12.

Thank you for reviewing!


	8. Chapter 8

a/n Thank you all for reading and reviewing! The second half of Saving Julie is now on my blog, link is in my profile, enjoy.

**Shrink Wrapped**

**.**

**Chapter 8** - Julie's Journal/ entry 5

The shrink told my mom that I am Avoiding and Blocking.

Mom cried when she talked to me about it. I cried too cos it makes me sad when she cries. When I was little and Ranger was still my daddy, she used to cry after he would leave. I'd say, What's wrong, mommy? And she'd smile and say, Nothing, I'm just sad to see your Daddy go. We love him, don't we baby? But I thought it shouldn't make you cry when you love someone, so I figured she was Avoiding. Too. But I am a polite child and I didn't bring it up. She quit crying after she met Ron anyway so I guess she is happier now. Anyways, now she says Ranger is coming to visit me/ us and maybe I can talk to _him_. But she says, You can tell me anything, you know that, right. I say. Sure mom. I think, As if.

But I'm glad Ranger is coming.

I say, Will he bring Steph? Mom says she doesn't think so unless I especially want to see her again. I say, I'd like to see her, mom. So mom says OK. She'd call.

Marilyn told mom I should write to Steph and thank her for saving me. (?!) Even though that's not what happened, but I'm okay with writing to Steph because I felt bad about fibbing to her. Ranger got me Stephanie's address, I have to write snail mail, for pete's sake. Who does that?

So here's my letter, picture pink Sharpie writing:

Dear Ms Plum,

(mom said to start this like that! Not!)

Hi, Steph! How r u? Isn't it weird to write snail mail instead of email or text or whatever? And I am supposed to thank you for helping rescue me from the Chuck-meister. What a loser. Do you know he actually thought he could, like, become Ranger? As if.

Anyways I am fine. I am seeing a shrink here in Miami, because I am supposed to have PTSD. That means Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

And mom & the shrink, her name is Marilyn, said writing to you would give me closure. Whatever that means. I keep telling them I had a job to do and I focused on the goal and saved us. Tank and the guys said I did good. I hope you think so too?

But more important! I want to tell you that I am sorry I had to fib to you about Ranger & me so I figured this was the best way to tell you, cos he is, like you know, a major secret. No one is supposed to know he is my daddy, but he is and he loves me. (Don't tell n e one!)

Here's the deal—when I was little my daddy didn't live with us cos he had an important job saving the world or something. Now I think it's cool but it was kinda scary then. People don't think I remember him, when he was my daddy. But I do. I call him Ranger now, like he told me to and I know Ron is, like, my real dad. But when I as little I had a different daddy and that was Ranger. I remember him, I do. He was so big and warm and cozy and he smelled nice, he'd hold me and hug me and he talked to me in Spanish sometimes. Then mom married Ron and my original daddy, Ranger, had to be a secret. But he always came to see me and he taught me lots of good stuff that mom might not want me to know.

Secrets. Lots of secrets. But I asked daddy and he said OK I could tell you because probably the fact that I knew how to shoot his, well, Chuck's, Glock & that I was able to kill Chuck & save us all, and that I ESPed daddy & told him we were at your apartment because before that I didn't know where I was, and—well, daddy said maybe you might wonder but you'd probably never ask HIM how he found us. Why not? You love him don't you? He loves you, right?

(Who was that Mr. Morelli guy? He was kinda creepy? And why did he call you Cupcake, that was weird.)

Sooooo, anyways, I was thinking. Maybe if you ask Ranger he'll bring you to visit me. It could, like, add to the closure thing. And if you can't come right now, Miami is really nice in February, I even have off school. OK?

See you soon, I hope.

Your friend

Julie Manoso (oh OK, Martine)

PS Do you like this pen? Isn't the pink awesome?

tbc

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a/n Yes, yes, people! Ranger and Stephanie will arrive soon, but this is JULIE's story and she wants to tell it in her own way at her own pace. And Ranger is on a job in Panama, go read that job on my blog? Hang in there. No whining, please.

Thanks for reviewing!


	9. Chapter 9

**Shrink Wrapped**

**. **

**Part Two**

Chapter 9

**Julie's Journal/ entry 6**

**I'm baaaaack! Ranger and Steph came to visit!** They brought a LOT of people with them. Mom said Traveling with an entourage now, Carlos? Kinda nasty voice. He didn't say anything, he just kinda motioned to the sling and all the bandages, that chin thing he does. And she felt bad I guess, because then she was nice.

Ranger brought Steph and Antonio and Tank and Lester Santos who looks a LOT like me and daddy and Anthony. But he is similar in a good way, not creepy like Chuck. And then there were two MIB guys, actually they looked like Secret Service guys from TV and they weren't there for Ranger (exactly), they are Anthony's bodyguards! Isn't that weird. I asked Ranger why he didn't have bodyguards like that and he said I'm not a banker. (Like that just totally explained it all!) But his eyes kinda tracked to Tank and Lester so I guess back-up guys_**—**_that's what Tank says they are_**—**_are sorta bodyguards too.

Stephanie is very pretty and funny. She is a little nervous around my mom and me which is funny. You'd think she'd be nervous around the big men with all the hidden guns. She loves Ranger so much! Her face when she sees him is, I don't know, it kinda lights up.

…..

**Journal / entry 7**

**Today we all went to see my shrink.** Mom took us and introduced us. Jorge had a day off from guarding me because we had Ranger and Anthony and Tank and Lester and the two MIBs. Everyone except me and Steph was armed and dangerous. And I wasn't sure about Steph, maybe she has a gun too?

After Marilyn got over looking at Ranger, who was looking a combination of really hot, really mean, and really sick_**—**_poor daddy! Marilyn is not seeing him at his best but she was liking what she saw!_**—**_anyways she asked Steph and Ranger: I am aware that you both were with Julie during the incident. (The Incident. LOL.) Perhaps you can tell me something about yourselves.

Steph smiled real polite and Ranger was silent.

The shrink finally said, Tell me what your relationship is exactly.(eeeeew). And Steph said, We are friends. We work together. Just like she said on the phone to me that time. Marilyn said, Friends? As in, with benefits? Neither Ranger or Stephanie answered that!

Long silence. M said, Yes? too polite like.

Ranger said, We are friends who love each other. Sometimes we are partners, sometimes Stephanie works for my company, sometimes I provide back-up for her.

M said, Partners?

Steph said, On the job. Ranger said, It's complicated. There was a pause then Ranger said in his army-boss voice, Move on. Yikes! Marilyn looked like she wanted to salute! Or pee her panties.

M said, Ms Plum, can you describe the incident where the kidnapper got shot? Steph said, What? Ranger said, She means when I was shot. Steph said, Oh, uh. Well, we were in my apartment. I was taped to the dining room chair and Julie was drugged but not tied up. I saw that Julie was awake but she was hiding it from Scrog. Scrog said if I warned the man who came in he was gonna shoot, uh, that he'd …

I said, Kill me.

Steph told M, Yeah. Kill Julie. I knew either Ranger or my ex-boyfriend Joe would come thru the door at some point. And Scrog would kill one of the men that I love.

Marilyn said, Why would your ex-boyfriend be involved? And Steph said, He's a cop...and well, you never know? Finally we all heard the lock tumble open. Someone came in quietly. Scrog was hiding behind the entry wall of the living room. The time stretched on like forever, I was so afraid. The person coming in was too noisy to be Ranger and too quiet to be Joe. If it was Joe, he'd be yelling Hey Cupcake that's the stupid name he gave me, and he'd be stomping in with pizza and beer and maybe Bob. Marilyn asked, Who's Bob? Steph said, The dog. And if it was _Ranger_ there would be no sound at all, Ranger is smoke, the wind, he is silent.

Soooo_**—**_I knew it was him because he was making the sounds on purpose and also I can always tell if Ranger is around, I feel…Steph stopped and looked at him. He smiled a little and did his tiny nod, like yeah that's OK. But that was the first he saw her face since she started because I was sitting between him and Steph. And when he saw that she was crying, he got very upset even though he didn't show it. Babe. You can stop…

Steph shook her head and went on. She said, Ranger walked calmly into the room. To face death. Like it was—not _nothing__**—**_but part of the job, all in a day. He knew Scrog was there waiting to kill him. He was dressed all in SWAT black and he looked so brave and so beautiful, so, so, so perfect. So _Ranger._ Ranger said to Steph, No price, babe_**—**_my life for yours. And she just looked at him then resumed her story. She said, His hands were raised and he was unarmed. I think it's the first time I've ever seen him without a gun or a knife on him, except if he was uh_**—**_not dressed…He looked at me and Julie and he was telling me something but I don't know what it was and I was afraid I'd never know and I'd never get a chance to tell him how much I love him. And Scrog shot him again and again and again and again.

Her voice broke and got higher and louder. She was sobbing and Ranger stood up and was trying to hold her with one arm and the door burst open, in came Tank and Anthony. Anthony said, What the fuck is going on in here, this is sick! And Steph kept sobbing and he took her away from Ranger, who looked real bad, about to pass out. Anthony was real gentle with Steph but his face looked really mean. Lester stood in the doorway with his gun in his hand, geez. Marilyn looked amazed by all the hot guys in her office. So Tank held onto Ranger and then got him into the chair again. Anthony looked over at me and stuck his hand out and he held me too, me and Steph together. Hugging Antonio is weird, he wears a lot of guns! But he's big and warm and smells nice, and he says in my mind that he loves us, so I hug him back.

After a minute or two, Lester came to hold me and Anthony picked up Steph like a baby and walked out. His face had one of those ''if looks could kill" expressions, aimed at poor Marilyn. (giggle) Lester held my hand and said, Let's go chica. He sounded just like Anthony and he did the safe/ love vibes only not as strong, I'm not sure he knows he can do it, he doesn't talk in my head.

But Marilyn said, Julie should stay here. And Ranger nodded.

Tank who lemme tell you is a TANK stood over the shrink and said, This is not good, he is too ill for this shit, he ….But Ranger said, Tank. And he shut up and left.

...

**Journal / entry 8**

**Marilyn looked at us. She asked**, What were you trying to tell Julie and Stephanie? Ranger said, None of your business. He looked at me. Chica, did you know. I said, Yes. Ranger said, That's all that matters then.

Lester knocked on the door and came in without anyone saying OK. He looked pretty mad too but he had put his gun away. He said to Ranger in Spanish that he and Anthony think Steph needs to go home but she won't leave me and Ranger. Then he said in English, She needs you, man.

The shrink said, We can continue this another day. And the guys all looked at her like she is the one who is crazy.

...

**So then we left. Ranger put out his hand** for me to hold and he asked me if I am OK and I said, sure. All the guys smiled big and some lady in the elevator dropped a bunch of paper files. When we got to the main floor I let go of my daddy's hand and I said, I will be fine but you need Tank to hold you up. Daddy frowned and looked upset but Uncle Lester said, Hey I still have a free hand, chica, you can hold my hand.

Tank said low to Ranger, Do I need to take you to a hospital, are you having trouble breathing? The rib can puncture a lung. But Ranger said No and where is Steph. Tank said, In the car. We got in the big Escalade SUV that Tank drives, looks like a drug dealer car.

**tbc**

**Thank you hanging in here, and for reviewing!**


	10. Chapter 10

**a/n **Thank you all for reviews and comments! I treasure all reviews and read each with interest and an open mind. Thank you, as always! enjoy!

* * *

**Shrink Wrapped**

**. **

**Chapter 10**

_Dr. Marilyn Sanders, PhD : dictated session notes/ unedited_

**Today my client JM (Julie Martine) came for her session** with, get this—her biological father, HIS partner/ girlfriend, two so called back-up guys, a friend and the friend's two Secret Service style bodyguards. So—what is that, seven people? Oh and her mother came too, to introduce everyone. Geez.

Five PM, my red light went on. I opened the door to my waiting room to welcome Julie and her father. Much to my surprise the tiny space was crammed full with huge men, all of them broadcasting testosterone fueled "armed and dangerous" body language. Mrs. Martine was at the front, holding Julie's hand.

Julie smiled at me, separated herself gently from her mom, and said, "Dr. Sanders, this is my biological father, Ranger."

Rachel Martine said, ''My ex-husband. You wanted to meet him…? And um, these are his…''

Julie said, ''Guys.''

The _guys_ all nodded and stood at parade rest. One man stepped forward, said, ''Thank you for seeing us, Doctor. I'm Carlos Manoso.''

I thought, _Omigod, yes you are._

He didn't offer to shake my hand because his right shoulder and arm were heavily bandaged and in a sling. He had gauze taped to his neck and I thought his torso was also bandaged. He wore a black La Coste golf shirt, black raw silk trousers, and an unstructured pale honey colored linen blazer, sleeves pushed up. Then the sling. The clothes, the Italian shoes, the Rolex watch, the diamond ear studs-everything about this man shrieked money. I wondered if he was armed despite the injuries.

Ranger Manoso looked pale and tense and very, very ill, but even the pain etched on his face couldn't detract from his looks. The young handsome soldier from the TV bulletins was here in the flesh so to speak, a few years older, and even more gorgeous in person. He looked more like the CNN shot that Julie had showed me, all dark hair, dark wonderful Latino eyes, stunning white smile, body to die for, to undress and lick all over…_oooops. Let's not save that bit, when we transcribe, okay?_

His smile got a bit wider, I hope he couldn't read my mind! I said something polite and ushered him and his girlfriend and Julie into my inner office. Rachel Martine had excused herself and left. The entourage stood and glared. _Scary_, I thought.

We sat down and I took another moment to examine Mr. Manoso. As Julie had said, the two of them looked exactly alike, despite the fact that one of the pair was a tiny 10 year old girl and the other a big, masculine adult male. Adult but not very old I noticed. Manoso looked younger than his ex-wife, maybe late twenties, early thirties. He looked too young to be the father of this child, I thought. Then my eyes caught his and I shivered. Oh my, intimidating as hell, despite being so young and so handsome.

The amazing thing about Manoso's looks, since he resembled his doll-like child so vividly—he was not pretty at all, not effeminate or girly-looking. They shared the flawless mocha skin, the thick silky hair, the black almond shaped eyes. They had the same mouth, nose, even eyebrows. But on him, it just looked hot and sexy and amazing, he almost didn't look real. No wonder Julie said he looked like an action figure.

The three waited patiently for my appraisal to end. They must be so used to it that they just tolerated it in amused, superior silence. Huh! I turned my gaze to Manoso's companion, a beautiful dark haired young woman, about his same age. She had pearly white skin, very fair, and big blue eyes. Not Latina. She smiled at me now and extended her hand.

She said, ''I don't think we were introduced, I'm Stephanie Plum.''

I said some pleasantry and gathered my thoughts, asking Julie how she felt today and so on. Then my questions to the adult, just some routine intake questions! Like who they are, what do they do for work, nothing intrusive. Routine, really, as I said.

But oh, it was like pulling teeth. Ranger said as little as possible, Stephanie a bit more but it was confusing, out of my realm of experience. _What do they mean by saying they are partners_? I wondered. _Is that so they don't have to say they are lovers in front of Julie?_ But no, they said it meant On the Job. They spoke like policemen. Yet I was sure they were lovers, the closeness they exhibited—mostly physical, touches and glances—gave them away.

_Lucky girl_ I thought.

Then, _not so lucky_.

Stephanie tried to describe the final event of the kidnapping, but she fell apart entirely, just disintegrated. Julie and Ranger watched her without much expression, their reserve seemed astounding. As yet I have no idea how I will break thru this wall to reach my client JM.

And yet…at one point R told S, _No price for what we give each other, my life for yours, babe_. He said this in his low calm voice, not casually but no inflection.

And of course I caught his use of the affectionate pet name. Silence, as something huge and vivid and wordless passed between them. And then she tried to finish her account of the shooting, ending in collapse and tears, her voice high and frightened and loud.

This time R did react, instantly crouching by her side, trying to hold her in spite of his injuries. Julie hugged Steph from behind, dark heads bent together. The door burst open and the men from the waiting room stormed in. Lots of yelling and cursing and angry black eyes flashing reproachfully at me.

The huge black man leaned over Ranger, who looked on the verge of collapse. I briefly regretted insisting he come here, he obviously should have remained in the hospital. The big man's hands were gentle and his voice soft as he eased Ranger away from Stephanie, helped him back to a chair. And the blond man who resembled Ranger and Julie took Stephanie in his arms, drawing her away from her lover and holding her, murmuring softly in Spanish, kissing the side of her face, like you'd soothe a beloved child. And he held his hand out to Julie, wrapping her in his arms also. His beautiful black eyes met mine in a death glare, I gulped in sudden fear, glancing at the exit. Another young Ranger clone loomed in the doorway, gun actually drawn.

The MIBs didn't do anything, just stood, arms folded on their chests. I suppose their only job was to protect the man who was holding Stephanie and Julie.

I was conflicted, I felt I should help Stephanie, but she was not my patient, Julie was.

Ranger cleared the room with a look and a one word command, and silence reigned again. How does he _do _that, I wondered.

So then, just Julie and Ranger remained in my office. Julie looked quite calm, maybe a bit worried about Stephanie. And I noticed she took a good hard look at her father, making sure he too was okay, or as well as could be expected. Then her brown eyes swiveled to me.

I wondered momentarily about the young blond man—boy? And the tangible aura of warmth and safety and calm that he had projected. I shook off the impression as silly and refocused on my clients. I asked Ranger (for Julie's sake) what he was telling them when he entered that room.

He looked at me like you'd look at a bug in your salad and he said, "None of your business." Then, "Chica, did you know." To Julie.

He has a beautiful low voice but no inflection, always deadpan. No question marks in his voice either, no "up" as Julie says.

To my amazement Julie just said yes and smiled at him. He said, ''Good.'' Then the obnoxious phrase I soon came to know well, he said, ''Move on.''

But we were interrupted again and I gave up for the day . I said calmly, to show I was in charge, that we'd continue next time.

Manoso and his cohort looked at me in amazement, they didn't need or want my permission. And I could see that much as Ranger loves Julie, in this case he chose to address the needs of his so-called partner, Ms Plum, first.

I thought again of his words, _No price, my life for yours._ I shivered. Maybe I am being overly fanciful, but to me, the phrases sounded like wedding vows from the dark side.

...

''End session notes/ edit before transcription," Marilyn's voice said. Then silence.

...

**tbc**

Thanks for reviewing!


	11. Chapter 11

**Shrink Wrapped**

.

**Chapter 11**

_Julie's Journal/ entry 9_

**We're back at the shrink again, just me and Ranger.** Steph didn't come this time because she said she didn't think she was helping. I like her being there but it was sad the other day when she cried so hard. Uncle Antonio was mad and he asked Ranger if that's what the shrink wanted, if they thought I—Julie—should cry like that, he said, What the fuck, it's supposed to be some sort of catharsis? (I looked it up.) And how can that be good for any of us?

I think everyone was mostly upset because Anthony was so mad, I don't think he gets mad and yells like that very often. Ranger said, The doctor is facilitating. (I looked that up too.) And Antonio said, Bullshit. Ranger said, Let it go. And then they switched to ESP talking and were blocking me out. Finally Steph said she was sorry she cried, she was so ashamed. Then all the guys seemed really mad and were all silent-y. Sooooo, here we are.

Marilyn asked me about trying to tell my daddy where we were. I wasn't about to try to explain the ESP stuff so I said, I don't know, it didn't work anyways. The shrink looked confused and turned to Ranger. Ranger said to me in Spanish, I'm sorry, baby. I could hear you, but since you didn't know where you were exactly I couldn't find you. I couldn't pinpoint your location until you knew you were at Steph's place. He added, And at first I think you were unconscious, so you were not in contact with me then. OK?

I said, Yes. He said, in English, Are you sure you understand. I said, Yes, I tried to see out the windows to send you a picture but Chuck had blocked out the windows. Ranger just nodded. The shrink caught the end part because we switched back to English, and she said, How were you going to send a picture, Julie? Like on a computer or a cell phone? And I said, Yes, like on a computer.(Only NOT!). Ranger said in his scary army voice, Move on.

Then Marilyn asked me how I felt when Steph was crying. And I said, When? She said, Last week? Or whenever Steph cried before. I said, Steph almost cried when she thought Scrog was gonna kill Ranger. Marilyn said, Tell me about that. I said, She was upset because she had never told him that she loves him and she was afraid we'd all die and he would never know. So I tried to tell her he did know, he knew she loved him, you do, don't you, daddy? And Ranger said, Yes but Steph sometimes likes words. I said, Yeah I can see that. And I stared at him real hard. He did his mini-nod, like _OK, ok, I'll tell her! Give me a break!_ So cute!

Then the shrink, who I think was totally clueless but gotta give her credit, she was getting us to talk, what did Anthony call it? Facilitating?—she said, Go on. So I said, I felt bad that I made her cry, since she had come to my appointment with me. And that I just want everyone to be happy and go on with our lives, like I have to start school in a few weeks and I never got my summer reading books yet! I mean, I need to move on, as daddy likes to say.

So the shrink said, OK Julie.

Then when we were driving home Ranger stopped at the mall and we got my books. He smiled big and the store lady went nuts. Ranger looked at my books though and he said, Baby, do you get bored at school? And I said, Why? Did you? He said sometimes but that Uncle Antonio got really bored and he wasn't happy at school. He went to school someplace different so he could learn faster. And I said, Where? And daddy said, Uh. College. He went to college instead of regular school. I could not imagine that. I said, I'd rather be bored than go to college when I'm just a kid. And he said, Yeah, me too.

Finally we got back to mom's house and Ranger said, Enjoy your books, chica. I said thanks and now I'm reading my books, almost done.

tbc

Thank you for reviewing!


	12. Chapter 12

**Shrink Wrapped**

.

**Chapter 12**

**_._**

_Ranger _

**Dr. Sanders opened the door herself** and waved me to a seat in her office. She said, ''Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Mr. Manoso.''

I thought about telling her to call me Ranger, but what the hell, maybe formal is good. I said, ''I am always available to help Julie.''

She said, ''Tell me more about yourself, I keep feeling that I am missing a lot, even during our family sessions.''

''Like what.''

''Well, family dynamics, so to speak. And how they affect your daughter. For example, I am aware that you own a nationally prominent security business. But you—and your friends who were here the other day—just don't seem like regular businessmen to me.''

_ROTFLMAO._

She was thinking, _You look like a film star playing a drug dealer…_

I thought, _I must be slipping—film star!_ And considered upping my intimidation vibe a few notches.

I finally said, ''My firm provides various security systems for private persons, corporations and other clients.''

''Other clients?''

''We do contract mercenary work as a team and I do contract work sometimes for the US government. Personally.''

She thought_, What the fuck does that mean?_ And I almost smiled, because I'm sure she's better off not knowing.

She said, ''Was that a problem for you? Having your name and face splashed all over the media?''

I said,

?

She tried the silent thing, then she smiled a little and said, ''Let's move on?''

?

''Mr. Manoso, you seem to travel with quite a large entourage.''

''Lady, I have stainless steel screws in my shoulder and in my chest. I can't dress myself unless I'm wearing sweats, I can't button my shirt or tie my shoes. I can't drive a car. I can't guarantee adequate protection for myself or my people. I need my guys and I sure as hell am not too proud to accept back up when the guys think I need it.''

Dr. Genius here said, ''I'd be tempted to say you're paranoid, but I guess events have shown that precautions are necessary to your lifestyle. It must be frightening to think you are unarmed and injured, unable to defend yourself.''

I thought, _Unarmed? Give me a break, not in this lifetime._

I flipped out my Glock, one-handing it out of its holster in the small of my back, all left handed.

She gasped.

I said, "I'm injured, not helpless. And while my injuries make me somewhat vulnerable in a fight, I'm not—uh, disabled—below the waist.''

Her eyes tracked down. She blushed. _Oh, naughty doctor!_

I said, ''I'm an unarmed combat expert, I can kill, maim, or disarm with a single kick. And I'm an excellent marksman, left handed.''

She was dying to do that fanning herself thing that Lula and Connie do.

''I see.''

''This is my job, doc. No big deal.''

''So your "guys" are there to back you up? To help you dress? To…?''

I shrug. Oh crap, wish I hadn't, it hurts. A lot.

She went on, ''Or are they here because they love you?''

I looked at her, wondering why she cared, what's her point. But I surprised her by saying, ''They are here because they love me, of course. And by extension, Julie and Steph.''

''Yes, what did you say, no price, my life for yours? Very heroic, no wonder everyone loves you, you're a hero.''

''What's your point.''

''Mr. Manoso, are you aware that both Stephanie and Julie describe you, as—among other attributes—perfect. They both state:—(phony search of her notes) ''_Ranger is perfect_.''

I thought, _What the fuck am I supposed to say to that?_

?

''Is it difficult maintaining that image?''

?

''Why am I doing all the talking, Mr. Manoso?''

I said, ''I believe the ladies were just referring to how I look, Stephanie always teases me about what she calls my military spit-shine appearance.''

''So they don't expect you to BE perfect, the women in your life realize that you are just a man with flaws and faults and problems?''

I remembered not to shrug. ''You have to ask them.''

''And do you really think that they are just referring to your personal grooming?''

''Well Steph is always upset cos all the garbage seems to end up on her, not on me….''(My voice was getting a little Stark Street, I oughta shut up….)

''Garbage?''

Doctor, we're bounty hunters, we work the streets with scum and lowlifes who are very happy to throw garbage instead of going back to jail.''

''Really?''

''Yes. Actually, garbage is good, it means they aren't gonna shoot at us.''

''So how DO you stay so clean and tidy?''

''Clean clothes in the car, shower in my office. After years in the military you learn to look presentable at all times. Believe me you don't wanna do a thousand push-ups in the rain because you failed inspection.''

''Did you ever fail inspection, Mr. Manoso?''

''…No.''

''Why do I suddenly feel like calling you, what? Lt. Manoso? Sgt. Manoso? Aren't most Army Rangers master sergeants?''

I thought about smiling and she looked a little offended. I am a commissioned officer—Special Ops might not focus much on rank but bottom line, someone's gotta be in charge. Usually that was me. My smile widened a bit. I hadn't been a lieutenant though for a lot of years. In the field, my own crew call me Ranger or boss or sir. And military black ops personnel who don't know me usually call me Captain or Sir, going for the likeliest rank since we don't wear ID.

But I haven't been a Captain for a lot of years either, Captain Carlos Manoso is like, what, 22 years old? I have rank and experience and a drawer full of medals. Mostly I was amazed I survived this long…..

I said, ''Doctor, my military rank is classified.''

''You mean, WAS classified.''

''No it was, is, and I presume always will be. That's why they call it black ops.''

''So you are still active in the military.''

I said, ''I am not at liberty to discuss that, move on.''

''Mr. Manoso, this is interesting but surely you are aware that when they say perfect, even if they are referring to your appearance-well, you are very-uh-''

I thought, _Perfect? Geez_.

''Beautiful.''

''Uh huh.''

''Do you think these people love you because you're so beautiful, because you are perfect?''

I said, ''Move on.''

''Why?''

''Lady, I've looked like this for thirty years, I'm used to it.''

''So tell me, what's that like? How does it feel to be so hot, so gorgeous, so—perfect. And do you think that they won't love you if you are NOT perfect? Is that what you're afraid of?''

I said, ''Are we done here?"

And she just nodded.

….

**Later I told Anthony, ''The shrink says** you all love me just because I'm nice to look at.''

Antonio said, ''You know better than that, that's ridiculous, we love you because you're our hero!''

He was teasing but he sent a vibe of comfort and warmth, trying to reassure me.

I sighed.

I said, ''She asked what it was like, being just a face, just a body….''

''No brain?''

''I don't think so….''

"And this line of inquiry is helping Julie, how?"

"No fucking clue, _hermano_. ...nosy bitch?"

He shrugged. "I told you what to say, man.''

I said, ''Fuck off.''

He laughed and I heard something or someone crash to the floor.

He said, ''Geez.''

I said, ''I rest my case.''

tbc

**Thank you for reviewing!**


	13. Chapter 13

Shrink Wrapped

.

**Chapter 13**

_Back to __**Julie's Journal**_

**_Journal/ entry 10_**

**Yesterday, we were at the beach for awhile.** And Anthony came and sat by me, like he had something on his mind. And he told me that sometimes when a therapist asks questions they are not asking because they are being rude or nosy. (Good thing because prob'ly she'll never get any straight answers from my daddy, right?) He said they ask because they want to the client (that's me or daddy or whoever) to think about the ''issue". I couldn't tell what he thought about that idea. He's like Ranger, you don't hear what's going on in their heads unless they are talking to you, to someone, anyway. The rest of the time they block their thoughts. I guess I do that too, it must be, I don't know, how it works? So I couldn't tell if Anthony was thinking Bullshit or what.

He said, OK, chica? I guess I shrugged. He frowned a little. Then he said You can talk to me, baby, if...you know, it's like too private but you need to talk. Or if you're like mad or sad or bad, whatever. Maybe...maybe you're so mad at Ranger for letting you get kidnapped, you just wanna scream? Or kick his ass? Or something.

I said, I don't think so.

He didn't hug me or hold my hand or anything, but his eyes were calm and...honest. I asked him, If I told you something, will you tell Ranger? He said, I might. If I had to. We sat there for a minute or two figuring that out. Then he said, Uh, what...? I gave him a hug and said, You'll be the first to know. He said in my head, eeew-and we laughed. He didn't ask me to trust him. But I think I do.

... ... ...

_**Journal/** **entry 10**_

_**So t**_**oday the appointment was me and Ranger.** Marilyn started out by saying that she notices that I sometimes call Ranger ''daddy''. Ranger didn't look anything but I could tell he was sad. The shrink let a silence go on, she likes to do that but daddy can out-silence anyone. Then Marilyn said to Ranger, I think she was a little pissed off at him, she said, Mr. Manoso, are you and your ex-wife aware that Julie remembers when you were her (she did finger quotes, so lame!) "real daddy" when she was very small? And that she remembers you and thought you were her wonderful daddy who loved her and who was and I quote as beautiful as a GI Joe doll? I said, What about confidentiality, did you think that was a big word and I wouldn't t understand it and so you could tell him? I was about ready to cry, first time I felt like crying, but I was sooooo embarrassed.

Ranger still was silent but then he sent the warm/ happy/ safe wave to me and I felt better. The shrink offered me the box of Kleenex and I just said, No thank you.

Ranger finally said, Can we talk about that a little bit, Julie. I said, No. In my head he asked, Maybe later? He even put a question mark so I'd know he wasn't saying he was only asking. I shrugged.

He said to Marilyn, Move on. She said, You should discuss this, it is important. Ranger said, What part of no don't you understand. And that was all for that day.

I'm not supposed to watch _The Sopranos_ reruns but sometimes I do and in it Tony goes to this shrink like in the early episodes. And the shrink is like part fascinated, part scared shitless, and totally clueless. I think that's how Marilyn feels about Ranger. Only like I keep saying, he's real hot and so pretty, it is distracting. So then she's like scared, fascinated, clueless and mostly busy thinking, Omigod, he's so hot.

So I was telling Anthony and he told me to stay out of her mind, he said, "For your own mental health, baby." And he did the big pretty white Ranger smile and then we laughed. Anthony is cool bec he doesn't treat me like a little kid at all, even Ranger does sometimes, a little. Though he is very respectful, I guess is the way to describe daddy.

tbc

* * *

Thank you for reviewing!


	14. Chapter 14

a/n : I hate when the notes are longer than the chapter but here goes:

The purpose of this story is NOT to show an idealized, rose-colored glasses view of therapy/ therapists. Marilyn is not a bad person and does not intend to be a bad therapist. She is just a little out of her usual comfort zone here... Her actions/ interactions/ gaffes / and flubs reflect, from my own experience, the behavior of various medical persons I have had dealings with, both social and professional. If stupid questions and no respect for one's privacy were not issues in medical situations, there would be no need for the Privacy Act and all that paperwork we sign. A child Julie's age [and with variations, all minor children up to age 18] can have no expectation of privacy, in regard to medical info and parents, as best I understand the rules. Marilyn only promised Julie the Journal would be confidential, not the content of their sessions.

Marilyn was recommended by Julie's pediatrician, whose opinion Rachel trusts. Ranger is going along with the sessions because he wants to keep Rachel appeased and also now and then something important to him and Julie does come out.

enjoy

* * *

**Shrink Wrapped**

**.**

_Chapter 14_

_Ranger _

**Dr. Sanders said, "Your daughter** says that you and I remind her of _The Sopranos_, when Tony goes to the therapist."

"Did you ask her if you could tell me this?"

"Yes we discussed privacy and parental need to know."

"Recently?"

"Yes! So...Tony? The Sopranos?"

?

''What?'' Dr. S looked more puzzled than usual.

"What?" I echoed.

_''The Sopranos_? HBO TV series? Takes place in Jersey?''

"I don't watch TV.'' Then, "Was that the show that Jim Gandolphini iwas in, he played a low life mob boss?"

"Yes."

I thought_, Doesn't sound appropriate for Julie. What is Rachel thinking?_

Marilyn said, "I gather Julie watches it on reruns, like _Sex and the City_, her mother probably doesn't realize."

''Julie watches _Sex and the City?''_

I definitely knew that show, it was one of Steph's favorites. You don't wanna show up at her place at 11PM, trust me. Very girly. And inappropriate for Julie.

''So you know the actor but not the show itself?''

"And this has what to do with Julie?"

''Julie said that I'm like the shrink on the series, scared but fascinated.''

_A little rude, Julie is usually more discreet._

?

"But that you're no Tony Soprano.''

?

I was somewhat baffled by this topic and Julie's comments. Julie somehow caught the family mob connection. Even though she does not know my extended family very well, she picked up on it. Not that my grandfather was like a Tony S, a mid-level boss. My family on my mom's side was more _Godfather_ than_ Sopranos._ But still.

We sat in silence for a while. The dollars ticked away in my mental calculator. I stifled a yawn.

Then the shrink said, out of the blue, ''What does your mother call you?''

I said, ''My mother never calls me.''

''What?''

?

''What name does your mother use for you? What does she call you?''

''My mother calls me Ranger.''

''Your mother calls you by your street name?''

''Yeah.''

''She never calls you by your given name?''

''No.''

''Does anyone?''

''Tank sometimes calls me Rick.''

'Why would he call you Rick?''

''My first name is Ricardo. I don't use it, but old friends like Tank sometimes call me Rick. And Antonio calls me Carlito when he forgets not to.''

''And you let him live?''

She grinned. I stared at her.

''What does Ms Plum call you?''

''She calls me Ranger. Get over it.''

Silence.

?

Marilyn said, ''I'm still stuck back on your mom calling you Ranger, that seems incredible.''

_It's safer that calling me Jason…or James, or..._

_"_You do understand that I can help Julie more effectively if I get to know her family?"

I nodded a little.

_"_Tell me about Julie's grandparents- - your parents, what does your father do?''

''Nothing, he's dead.''

''Oh. I'm sorry. And your mother?''

Sigh. ''My mother is..." I shrugged, just my left side. _I'm learning._

"Your mother is what?"

"My mother is in Africa." _Maybe._

_"_What? Africa? On...a vacation?"

"No. She volunteers."

"Ah. Like a church mission? Peace Corps?"

"Doctors Without Borders. She's a pediatric reconstructive orthopedic surgeon."

"That's- - "

?

"Wonderful?"

_Maybe._

* * *

_tbc_


	15. Chapter 15 and 16

**Shrink Wrapped**

.

a/n Please remember that this story is somewhat AU to my Take a Chance romance arc. The things Stephanie reveals are true for all my stories, I just can't make this one fit in time wise. So pls don't try. enjoy

* * *

**Chapter 15**

_Dr. Marilyn Sanders_

**I'm not entirely naive or stupid,** I know when I am being stonewalled by experts. Still...I am determined to reach out to Julie. Somehow. Clinically it is almost impossible that the events surrounding her kidnapping would simply roll off her vulnerable ten year old shoulders. That isn't how hearts and minds work.

I asked Ms Plum to meet me alone**. **She appeared right on time, bodyguarded by the blond man, Anthony Stewart, and the young Latino Ranger clone who was now introduced to me as Lester Santos. The two MIB guards came also, apparently to protect Mr. Stewart. All very cluttered. Confusing.

I shook everyone's hands (well, not the MIBs') and held the door for Stephanie. She entered, followed by Stewart and Santos who assumed folded arm positions inside the door. They conveyed _mean and scary_ while maintaining perfectly neutral blank faces.

Stephanie rolled her eyes and said, ''Guys, you gotta wait outside. Okay?"

"No.''

''Yes.''

''No. Georgy stays with Julie, we stay with you," said Lester Santos. "Ranger's orders.''

''Georgy doesn't speak English," said Stephanie.

Stewart stared at her. He said, "Babe."

"Don't babe me, Anthony, what?"

''Of course Georgy speaks English, don't be silly.''

''Oh. Well, nevermind! That's not what matters here! Geez.'' She heaved a big sigh and dug out her cell phone.

_''Yo yourself. Look, I'm here at the shrink's and Anthony and Lester want to stay in the room with me during my session. You gotta tell them to wait outside. Please. Yes, Ranger I have my gun. Yes it is loaded. No I won't shoot the shrink, fer chrissakes, give me a break here! You guys are making me crazy!...Oh ha ha ha. Very funny." _

Probably he told her if she's crazy she's in the right place? She listened for a second more then handed her phone to Santos. He listened, shrugged, handed the phone back and left the room.

Stewart did the death stare thing. Then he followed.

Stephanie sat down with another sigh. ''Anthony doesn't take orders from Ranger.''

_Like that just totally explained it all…._

I sat and looked at Stephanie Plum, doing my visual assessment. The other time I met her the men had been here and Ranger Manoso overwhelms everyone else. Now I took a good look.

She was fairly tall and slim, long legs, short denim skirt, high heeled slides. Tank top. Wild curly hair. Flawless pale complexion with a hint now of Miami tan. Pouty lips, blue blue eyes. Not movie star gorgeous, more pretty and sexy girl-next-door.

Unlike Rachel Martine her clothes were attractive but not couture, more Gap than Prada. Ranger Manoso wasn't buying this woman's clothes or jewelry.

Maybe my assessment went on too long because she looked hard at me and said, ''What?''

The Jersey attitude. Not much accent though, she sounded fairly educated.

I said, "Let's get started. Now that your audience is gone perhaps you can tell me about yourself.''

Wide flashing smile. ''Like what?''

''Your job, your life? Your hopes and dreams, your relationship with Julie's father?''

…..

**Chapter 16**

_Stephanie_

**I got rid of Anthony and Lester**, sat my butt down in the shrink's visitor's chair and waited. This woman has a thing for evaluating silences, quietly looking a person over. I figured she was pricing my Old Navy denim mini skirt about now.

Finally the therapist met my eyes and said, ''Thank you for coming today.''

I said, ''No problem, anything for Julie….Soooo, what can I do for you?''

Shrink said, ''Well I want to understand Julie better, her family dynamics and so on. And what she experienced during the kidnapping.''

I said, ''Uh huh.''

After a moment of silence Marilyn said, "Tell me about your relationship with Julie. Did you know her before the incident?''

''No. I didn't know her, I just knew Ranger had a daughter who lived with her mom.''

''So you got involved at Mr. Manoso's request.''

''I guess. Also part of the stalker's illusion or fantasy was that Ranger and I have an intimate relationship. When he took over Ranger's life, he needed me to be his—uh—woman?''

A moment of silence, again. I think the Doctor was surprised by something I said. Finally she asked, ''So—you and Mr. Manoso DO NOT have an intimate relationship? I thought…"

I told her, "Ranger and I are friends. We work together. He taught me about bounty hunting.''

''Tell me about that.''

I sat there thinking, wondering how this could possibly help Julie. But hey, everyone knows my story right? So I said, "A few years ago I lost my job as a lingerie buyer and was broke. I got a job doing bounty hunting for my cousin Vinnie. But of course I had no skills, no knowledge, no idea. And so I asked Connie, my friend who is Vinnie's office manager, to help me learn. She called in a favor—don't ask—and set me up with this ex-Special Forces guy called Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger.''

I smiled.

''Go on…'' urged Dr. Sanders.

"I asked Connie how I would know the guy I was gonna meet in some crummy downtown café, like he'll be holding a red rose, he'll have a copy of _Into Thin Air_? What? And she said, 'He is the hottest guy you have ever seen, Steph. He is so freakin' gorgeous, he'll be the guy in black who makes your panties turn wet. You'll forget to breathe and maybe you'll drool. He is amazing. He is—well, _Ranger_.' Then she laughed.''

I looked at Marilyn and added, ''Well, you've seen him.''

''Yes, he is a nice looking young man.''

''Oh please. That's like saying, I don't know, the Titanic was a little boating accident.''

Marilyn said, ''Yes. But his looks are not the issue here. Please go on with your story?''

''Okay, so I go to the greasy spoon in a bad part of town and I walk in the door, look around, and omigod. I never saw anyone who looked like Ranger, not even in the movies or anything. He was young and handsome and scary, armed and dangerous. And then he talked! And smiled! And laughed…you've maybe never seen him laugh. The whole world—my whole world—lit up like, like—Fourth of July fireworks.''

Pause.

''I …..well, anyway. He taught me how to be a bounty hunter and how to shoot a gun and gave me cars and jobs and safe places to hide and is always there for me. He is the finest person I have ever met. Ranger Manoso is not just some street thug, Dr. Sanders. He is a very fine man, he is intelligent and ethical and good. He's a freakin' hero..."

''You love him.''

''Geez. Hell, yes, I love him.''

''So that explains why you risked your life for him—you owe him and you're in love with him. But why are you only friends?"

''Two reasons—I was in a semi-committed relationship until very recently. And Ranger doesn't do relationships, not committed relationships, or intimate relationships. And if we made love and he walked away again, I think I'd die.''

Marilyn consulted her notes. "When you were here together and you described the final shooting, Ranger said to you, _No price, babe. My life for yours.''_

_''_Yeah…..''

''That's not commitment? Sounds to me like he loves you too.''

''I never said he doesn't love me! He even told you we are friends who love each other, remember?''

Marilyn nods.

''But the _my life/ no price—_well that's a Ranger _thing._ He'd do it for any of his crew. That's who he is.''

''Hmmmm.''

''Yeah. A little scary, isn't it?"

"Admirable, if perhaps irresponsible?" Marilyn murmured. Made a note on her yellow pad. "….What exactly does Mr. Manoso do, anyway? I seem to be confused, my notes don't make much sense. I mean, Mrs. Martine said he is ex-Special Forces, a former Army officer. And that he is a very successful businessman, in, what? Security? What does that mean? Why is his life so dangerous?''

I stared at her. _How can I explain, I'm not sure myself. What does a black ops mercenary do? Really? Like, kill people? Only bad people of course, but still….._

I said, "Don't ask. But what he does is why he won't have a committed intimate relationship with me. The jerk is trying to protect me!''

''You seem upset.''

''Well for one thing it obviously doesn't work, does it? And another thing—I'd rather be with him, loving him for a minute, a second, whatever—than live my life alone and safe.''

Silence. I felt compelled to fill it. "You can't imagine the awfulness, the futile hopelessness of seeing the person you love more than life itself walk into a deadly ambush. His eyes met mine, his wonderful face, so serene so calm so brave, so _ready to die._''

Marilyn said, "But he didn't t."

"Not _this time_.''

''Will you tell him how you feel?''

''No.''

''Why not?''

''He knows I love him. Why add to his burden, he already is at risk, loving me.''

''That's very sad.''

"It's how it is."

Marilyn asked, "What about these other young men?"

I discreetly ran a finger under my bottom eyelashes, wiped away a stray weak tear and some runny mascara. I looked over at the shrink. "Like who? The guys who work for Ranger….?''

''The blond man, Mr. Stewart?''

''Oh. Anthony. Well. He is like Ranger only more so-he is Ranger to the infinite power.''

''Mr. Stewart appears to have feelings for you too.''

''Geez, quit calling him Mr. Stewart, it's so distracting. Anthony-yeah well, he loves me too.''

''And you care for him.''

''Sure I just told you he is Ranger only more so, he is wonderful, adorable…of course I love him.''

Marilyn said, ''I'm confused.''

''Yeah, me too. Join the club."

Pause….

Finally I said, "But you know, you're the shrink, get over it.''

''Hmmmm…I really prefer counselor or therapist. But back to the kidnapping…..How did Mr. Manoso find you and Julie? Before the shooting?''

I looked at her. What to say? "Aaah-Ranger has ESP, he is psychic.''

Marilyn laughed, said, "That's nonsense!''

''Uh huh.'' I knew she wouldn't believe me, but even cops like Morelli knew Ranger had...something. Some psychic ability.

More silence. I guess she—Marilyn- was mulling over either Ranger's psychic-ness or my craziness…..

She asked me, "What do you think will help Julie overcome her trauma and grief? Her rage?"

''Rage?'' I echoed.

"Her anger?"

''She is Ranger's daughter, she is just like him. She did her job, did what she had to do. So she will accept it and move on. If she feels fear or grief or, or, or...rage...no. You can't begin to comprehend the inner core of strength they have.''

Marilyn said, ''She wants to be closer to this father who is so heroic, so wonderful. She recalls loving him as a baby, when he was _there for her_.''

I shrugged. "That's so sad. Sweet but sad.''

''Will he be there for her now? Can he?''

''Unless he dies.''

Marilyn said, ''Then she would be more traumatized than we can imagine.''

''Yeah, me too,'' I said sadly.

''Do _you _think he will die? Be killed?''

''Maybe. Someday. I think he thinks he will die….''

''But …? ''

''If he can, if she needs him, he will be there, Ranger never lets anyone down. And he loves her.''

Marilyn said, "I am going to recommend that Julie's custody be changed to a shared custody. Would that work?''

''Not my business, you need to speak to her mom and dad and Ranger.''

''I will…. Stephanie, I think this man loves you. But I also think he needs you. Don't let him push you away, make him...'' She waved a hand, at a loss for words.

"Commit to me? My life for his, his life for mine, no price. What more commitment exists, Dr. Sanders? Would standing in front of a priest make us any more….anything?''

''He would make love to you, you'd be free to love him openly….''

We both zoned out, thinking of making love with Ranger. The shrink fans herself. I said, ''That s always a conversation ender.''

''What is?''

''Ranger sex fantasies.''

She smiles at me, said, "Yeah but you could live it!''

Knock at the door. Anthony looked in, giving us his mean street stare. He said, ''Let's go, babe, enough talking.''

Marilyn asked, ''How do you know?''

Antonio said, ''Trust me. I know.''

He stood there looking gorgeous, all smooth brown skin and khaki cargo shorts and Abercrombie wifebeater under a garish aloha shirt that somewhat hid his guns. Hands on hips, the black Glocks in the double shoulder rig were both displayed. The tank top stretched over his defined chest and washboard abs. It said, _OneShot Dive Services ~ Key West ~ Best Bang for your Bucks._ Best not to think about what that means or where he gets the personalized A & F slogan T's. The caricature-type picture showed a politically incorrect big breasted woman in a bikini and flippers, holding an assault rifle, sitting on the side of a dive boat.

The cargoes hung too low on his narrow hips and the shirt was too short, like it shrank in the wash. It exposed a three or four inch swath of tan tummy and tribal tattoo around his belly button. Diamond navel stud. Horrible red scar off towards his hip. Reef flip flops, mirrored shades hanging from a button hole on the Margaritaville shirt.

You might think Antonio had gone native. But he looked like this a lot.

Marilyn looked half horrified, half turned on.

After the silence drew out a little, Anthony barked, ''What.''

I said, ''Your t-shirt.'' And giggled a litle. He always make me smile.

And omigod, he smiled back. All zillion watts. The eyes the mouth the teeth—the dimples.

I said goodbye to the open mouthed shrink and meekly allowed Antonio to usher me out of the room. When we got to the elevator, I whispered, "You are so bad!"

He whispered, "I knew you needed to be rescued, babe. It was me or the SEALs."

Then we both laughed.

tbc

Thank you for reviewing.


	16. Chapter 17

_**Shrink Wrapped**_

a/n...a short midweek chapter...because on Friday Anthony gets his say

* * *

_**Chapter 17**_

_**.**_

_**Julie's Journal/ entry 12**_

Ranger took me and Steph to the beach today. But it's not exactly like going to the big regular beach, this is the private beach at his _abuela's_ house, she lives in Palm Beach. After swimming and a picnic, Steph said she needed to nap. Ranger asked me if I wanted to go for a walk and so I said OK. He was quiet for a long time then he said, Can I talk about when you were little, Julie. I'm sorry the therapist did not respect your privacy, but I want to talk a little if you don't mind. You can tell me to stop at any time.

He was so sweet and careful and polite so I said, Yes. I guess. He said, If you remember being a tiny girl and you remember me visiting you before your mom married Ron…in my army uniform…You were really little, Julie, maybe three at the most. And if you remember that, you will know that I loved you then, I have always loved you. I think since I stayed in your life you never forgot me. But usually babies don't remember much and your mom and dad, uh Ron, and I wanted you to feel loved and safe and that the three of you are a family. I wanted you to have a real dad. I never meant to hurt you or make you feel abandoned. You have always been in my mind and in my heart, you're my daughter and mean the world to me. I lead a strange life, baby, sometimes I do jobs for the government and your mother and I just wanted you to be safe and happy. I didn't succeed at either thing. I feel very bad about that. I can't imagine how you will forgive me, Julie.

I took his hand and I said, I know all that, daddy, it's just that I love you. And you were always my real daddy even if you didn't stay with us. He said, OK.

We walked awhile. I picked up the prettiet pink shell. Look, daddy!

Ranger said, You undertand that when you were a baby, I couldn't stay...?

I kicked at the sand and he frowned a little. LOL, no sand throwing! Bad baby! I said, I know you couldn't but I am not sure I understand why. Why your job was more important.

He said It's how it had to be.

I said, Fine. We stopped walking and he looked into my eyes. Nothing there, no answers. I said, Don't be sad anymore. He said, No. What about you. And we smiled at each other, big smiles, and we thought about our deal, our promise. Good thing it is a private beach cos Ranger smiling like that - - well if it wasn't already a sunny day, it would be when he smiled.

tbc

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PS for the readers who asked about more info on Ranger's mom...she is featured extensively in Jane's Dilemma and in I'll Be Home for Xmas and, more briefly in The Dance Club which is on my blog.


	17. Chapter 18

**—Shrink Wrapped **

**.**

**.**

_**Chapter 18 **_

_Anthony _

**The shrink said, ''Good afternoon**, I'm Marilyn Sanders.''

I shook her hand and said, ''I know, we've met. I'm Anthony Stewart.''

Then I sat down in the chair that she indicated. She was carefully studying my face, well all of me, I guess. What can I tell you, I'm a cutie. Actually, she was seeing how much I resemble Ranger—and Julie—and trying to figure out how to ask me about it without being rude.

Finally she said, ''I notice that there is a strong family resemblance between you and Mr. Manoso and Julie and the other young man who was here last week, he had the gun?"

I did a mini nod. Gotta give her credit that as briefly as she saw Lester she caught the family looks.

My silence made her nervous though and finally she said, "Forgive me, but I am not sure how you all are related. You have such a non-ethnic name….?

I let the silence go on long enough to be upsetting for her then I said, "Why did you want to speak with me?"

She said, "I'm really not sure, you just seemed to have an….uh, you seem to be someone everyone else depends on, even though you are so young.''

She was gonna say _aura_, but she caught herself. My eyes must have showed my amusement because she cocked her head in annoyance.

I said in my intimidating military voice, the one I almost never use, ''I'm 28.(yes, people, I lie, so sue me...) I run a multibillion dollar international banking fund. I am an ARMY Special Ops contract agent, and I am an officer in the US Army. My specialties are undercover black ops and—uh—" I raised an eyebrow. "Maybe there's more to me than meets the eye, doctor.''

She said back real quick, ''So you are not just a pretty face?''

I said, ''I don't know, babe, most women think all of me is pretty, not just my face.''

She said, ''Please don t call me babe. And yes you are, uh—"

"Hot?" I suggested.

Her face got pink but she nodded. "...hot and from what you said, I'm guessing really, really rich.''

''Money is good, babe.''

I let the Helping Julie Cope thing slide. _Why beat a dead horse. Really?_

_**... ... ...**_

_Marilyn _

**Anthony Stewart had to one of the most obnoxious** men I'd ever met! He was even more annoying than Julie's father, Ranger. Anthony Stewart just sat there all relaxed and comfy, like he owned the world. And maybe he did, what was that about a bank?

He was the hottest guy I'd ever seen, even more stunning than Ranger Manoso, who was amazing despite being so obviously injured and in pain. Okay, I admit Ranger gave this guy a run for the money, but, omigod, Anthony Stewart! Tall, muscular, body to die for, face so perfect he seemed unreal. He had silky straight palest blond hair, long on the top and buzzed short at the sides. Warm mocha complexion, either a really nice tan or he shared the racially mixed Latino genes that were evident in Ranger and Julie's looks. And beautiful black Latino eyes with long dark, gold tipped eyelashes and a lush mouth with stunning white teeth. And unlike Ranger, Stewart had dimples that showed when he was trying not to smile. As for the rest-diamond ear studs, platinum and diamond Rolex watch, pastel LaCoste golf shirt that strained over his biceps, and a partially visible tattoo on his neck. I looked at him wondering if he was armed and if so where he had hidden the gun.

He said, ''Lethal weapon, babe. I don't _need_ a gun.''

He read my mind? It was soooo annoying! And how was I going to ask about the aura/ psychic stuff? I knew there was something going on with these men, and yes, Julie—but it seemed so farfetched.

He was staring at me and doing the inner laughter bit, dimples flashing. He said, "This. This is what you want to ask about.''

And I felt it, the warmth, the light, the happiness. I felt—safe. _Safe? What the heck?_

I jerked my mind away from his and the feeling lessened but it was still there.

He said, ''You feel my aura, and maybe Ranger's but he doesn't use it this way much and he is also very—uh—he is in a great deal of pain, he is somewhat hampered by that. And he is very focused on Steph and Julie.''

I said, ''_What_ are you talking about!''

He said, ''Babe. You _know_.''

I said, to cover my own panic and confusion—he sent more No Worries vibes that I tried to deflect—"Do NOT call me babe."

"Fine. Marilyn. You _know, Marilyn_."

Grrrr. I can fight too. "What's with you and Ms Plum?''

Omigod. The wave of feelings turned cold then shut down entirely.

He said, no inflection whatsoever, "I love her. She's very special."

I said, "That is what Ranger does right before he says, Move on. The wall of ice thing."

?

Stewart did the annoying tiny nod. And conveyed _So what?_

I said, 'Why did you agree to come here today?''

He said, ''Ranger asked me to, I'd do anything for Ranger.''

''Anything?"

"Yeah. Any Thing."

''Do you think I am helping Julie?''

''No.''

''That's—upsetting to me, professionally.''

He said, ''That's not my problem.''

''What do you think will help Julie?''

''Time, love, security. She needs to focus on her future, she needs to move on. And all you well-intentioned adults are just wasting her time.''

''I see.''

''So, babe. _Marilyn._ You wanna have dinner with me?''

''What?! That is so inappropriate!''

''Why?''

''Because number one it is professionally unethical to socialize with a client. And two: you are a LOT younger than I am.''

''But you think I'm hot, babe, and I'm cute, rich and smart. _And_ I am not a client. Just a friend of the family.''

I said, "I don't think so.''

He said, "You're getting pretty good at this stuff, babe. Dinner at 8, I'll pick you up. Wear something sexy. Ciao.''

And he got up and left.

The rear view was really nice too.

But of course I wouldn't, couldn't go on a date with...that man. _Nope. Not gonna happen._

_No way..._

tbc

* * *

Thank you for reviewing.

sunny


	18. Chapter 19

**Shrink Wrapped**

.

Chapter 19

.

_Marilyn_

**I still couldn't believe** I was getting dressed up in my sexiest LBD and 4" heels to have dinner with obnoxious Anthony Stewart. But here I was, dressed, perfumed, and—excited.

Well, we all knew I'd cave, right? Who could resist?

I answered my doorbell and there he was, all six plus feet of muscle and sex appeal. He was smiling, all zillion watts, as Julie says, looking more like Ranger than ever. And he wasn't dressed in his usual surf bum/ homeless loser clothes either. (Thank god.) Anthony wore a black tropical weight suit with a pink t-shirt underneath. The suit looked like silk, exquisitely hand-tailored and expensive, maybe Armani _Coutura_ or perhaps bespoke.

He said, ''You look lovely, Marilyn.''

I said, ''So do you.''

And he laughed, opening the door of his low sports car, a black Ferrari. It had Florida vanity plates that said ONESHOT.

I said, ''You are only visiting here, right? You don't live here?''

He glanced at me and said, ''No, that's right, I live in NY mostly.''

I said, ''So—this car—it's a rental?''

He said, ''Rental?" He sounded mildly clueless, like he'd never heard of Budget Rent-a-Car.

I said, "It's a very nice car.''

He grinned. ''Uh huh.'' Then he said, ''We're meeting Ranger and Steph for drinks before dinner, I hope that's okay. Then we'll have dinner at _Océano_, just the two of us.''

I looked at him.

He added, ''I think maybe you should get to know Ranger and Steph in a social situation. I know it's not very easy, being the shrink and all.''

''Easy for who?''

''For them, they— Look I know it's unusual, just try, okay.''

I smiled at him and said, "Sure." I bit my tongue and said not one word about it being unethical or unprofessional to socialize with my clients. I'd watch, and listen...and see what developed.

We pulled up at _Blue,_ the latest, most _In_ place, hard to get a reservation nightspot in South Beach. The valets opened the car doors, greeting Stewart politely by name. He turned the multi hundreds of thousands of dollars Ferrari over without an apparent qualm. Inside the maitre d' said, "Good evening Mr. Stewart, Mr. Manoso and his guest have arrived, this way please."

The club was glamorously Cuban—tropical, sultry, stunning, white candles and chartreuse orchids, heavy linens and silver.

We were escorted to a prime table, Ranger rising politely to greet us. The soft lighting in the club hid Ranger's pallor and he looked wonderfully handsome, the heart-stopping smile flashing, his manner assured and easy. He wore a suit similar to Anthony's, with a black t-shirt. Stephanie wore a simple but stunning aqua silk sheath. I couldn't help noticing that both Anthony and Ranger wore much better earrings than either myself or Stephanie. She wore simple large silver hoops, I had my classic pearls. The two men had at least three karat diamond studs in each ear and both wore watches that cost more than I make in a year—and I'm a doctor!

Stephanie was drinking something blue in a huge martini glass with a little umbrella. Ranger something tall, clear and icy with lime. The waiter deposited a similar drink in front of Anthony as soon as we sat down and asked me what I'd like. I glanced at the tall clear drinks.

Stephanie said, "No no no! They just drink Pellegrino, so boring. This is a Blue-tini, the club's signature cocktail. It's yummy." She leaned over an stage -whispered, "It has marshmallow vodka!"

"I don't think..."

Anthony said, "Have a mojito?"

I nodded.

Our drinks came, Stephanie and I made small talk, like this was a double date. Where was I from, where did I go to college? How did she become a bounty hunter, and so on. At one point, Ranger's cell phone beeped. He still wore a sling on his right arm and his shoulder and chest appeared heavily bandaged. He could use his right hand enough to reach for his phone in his left hand breast pocket, but the movements were somewhat awkward and his jacket opened enough that I could see he wore a shoulder holster with a scary black automatic pistol under his left arm. I had the notion that he wore the gun in the same way most men wear shoes, out of habit.

Shocked, I turned to Anthony who just smiled at me. Ranger read his phone screen and excused himself to take the call. As he walked through the crowded club he was often greeted, many calling him Carlos and even Carlito. He would smile and nod, unable to shake hands due to his shoulder injury. Instead, men would pat his shoulder or back, women kissed his cheek. He seemed easy and comfortable in this high end milieu. Stephanie watched him walk away and sighed theatrically.

She said, "I never get tired of seeing him, just knowing he's okay.''

Anthony tipped his head and looked at her, her own face turning to his as Ranger disappeared from view.

She said, "What?''

He said, ?

They drifted off into an eye lock, as if I didn't even exist. Anthony might have an interest in me, and Stephanie was obviously in love with Ranger, but these two had something going. I just wasn't sure what. Anthony finally reached out and caressed the side of her face, his hand gentle, his eyes deep and loving. Stephanie's eyes tracked to his mouth then she turned her face into his hand, softly kissing his palm.

Ranger said, ''Babe.''

And she seamlessly turned and smiled up at Ranger, still holding Anthony s hand.

Ranger leaned over and said, ''I gotta go, I got a call.''

Anthony said, "Do you need backup?"

"No. I've got Steph and the guys, you two enjoy your evening.''

I was amazed and impressed that he so calmly accepted this young woman as his partner, his street backup. Her life must be so different from mine….

Stephanie smiled and shook my hand, kissed Anthony's cheek as he politely rose. He hugged her and they did the air kiss thing, then the guys hugged carefully. And they were gone.

I said, ''You're in love with her.''

Tiny shrug. No reply.

''How does that work for the three of you?''

His eyes laughed at me, _what—I'm so naïve? They have a ménag_e _a trois, what?_

The smile got a bit more visible but Anthony still said nothing.

I said, "It's complicated, right?''

"Yeah. Maybe."

Before he could say Move on, I changed the subject. "So. Tell me about yourself, where did you grow up, what did you study in college?"

He smiled at me. A real smile. Something dropped and crashed on the floor behind me….

He said, ''Geez….'' Then, ''Mostly mathematics and computer technology.''

''Not business? No MBA?''

''No. Post grad in, uh, Boston, math theory.''

So casual! My surprise must have been obvious. He added, "What, you thought you were the only ''professional'' here?''

''No, no...but that's very impressive. BU? Northeastern?''

"Uh, no."

He was waffling. I took a guess. "You went to Harvard? Or MIT?"

"Yeah."

"Undergrad,too?''

''No, babe. Stanford. Then MIT. Harvard. Army Special Forces.''

_Color me impressed…_

''So. Do you enjoy being a banker?''

''I don't mind.''

''That's an odd answer.''

''I—we—inherited the family business when my father and his business partner were, uh…killed a few years ago. I'm the CFO, my brother Nick is CEO.''

''And Ranger?''

''He…. No comment.''

''Anthony, I'm not a cop or a reporter, you can't just say No Comment in a forbidding tone and hope I shut up!''

He said, ''I don't discuss Ranger.''

"Fine. So why are you and this other brother running the bank?''

''I said I don't mind and Nick is really good at it, he was always going to become the CEO, he's a banker by inclination and training and he is married to my sister.''

''What!''

?

''You just said your sister is married to your brother!''

''We all have different parents, they don't have any parents in common. No worries, doc."

"Please! Tell me!"

"Uh. Jilly and I have one mom but different biological fathers, we were raised as full siblings but looking at me and Nick you can see we are related….So then Nick and I have the same father but different mothers."

I stared at him. I hoped it made sense to the participants because it made no sense to me at all.

"Hmmm. Banking..."

''Yeah."

So I was sitting there trying to picture this hot young guy as the town bank vice-president, like HomeTown Savings and Loan.

I said, "I don't know much about banking, is it like approving home loans and opening accounts and so on?''

''Marilyn, I said banking _fund_, my family owns M and S World Financial.''

He looked closely at me to see if I got it. I did but I didn't, it was as if he said he owned—I didn't even know, Chase Manhattan? Inconceivable.

''No, no, no! Funds. Money funds, babe.''

I sipped my third mojito and decided to change the subject again. _Back to the real issue_, I thought muzzily. "So how did a really smart guy like you let yourself fall in love with your brother/ best friend's girlfriend?''

He said, ''What.''

''I saw how you look at each other.''

''It's complicated. Remember, you said it yourself.''

''Do you and Ranger practice those lines, next you'll say Move on, in a scary tone and look mean like he does.''

Anthony leaned back and laughed out loud.

(crash.)

He said, ''Guilty as charged, ma'am. Let's go eat.''

tbc

Thank you for reviewing!


	19. Chapter 20

Shrink Wrapped

.

.

_**Chapter 20**_

_a week or so later... _

_Marilyn_

"**Thank you for** coming in today."

"I thought we were past all this formal shit, Mari."

"I have to focus on my patient, Mr. Stewart."

"Okay. Shoot.''

Pause.

Then he laughed.

Marilyn kept a straight face and sighed to herself. Anthony Stewart laughing was just about the cutest thing she'd ever seen. She said, repressively, ''I'm not even going to think about why that amuses you.''

''Babe.''

''Mr. Stewart, in my notes I see that Mr. Manoso said that you're his best friend—well, along with Mr. Tank and Ms Plum….''

Now Anthony laughed so hard he was holding his stomach, like it was killing him.

He gasped, ''Mr. Tank! He sounds like a gay hairdresser…''

He was laughing so hard he was crying.

''What should I call him?''

''Just Tank, it's a street name. Not his real name.''

''Mr. Manoso says that you are the only one who calls him by his given name.''

''No, I call him Ranger, like everyone else does.''

''He said you call him Carlito sometimes, isn't that the diminutive for his real name, Carlos?''

''Oh.'' He smiled. ''I call him Carlito 'cause of the movie, like, you know….''

''No, what?''

''You know, the Al Pacino film, _Carlito's Way? _Not the low-life street punk part, exacly, although... but: _'It's who I am, Gail, it's what I am. Right or wrong, I can't change that.' ''_

"I see."

"I hope so, Mari...because Ranger is like so totally, _my way or the highway_."

''He said it was affectionate, it's a nickname.''

''It is. What, now you think I don't love him? Get real, lady, of course I love him.''

''But you don't call him by his given name…..What's wrong?''

''Why are you asking me this?''

''I don't know exactly, it's just that the family dynamics are so odd. His ex-wife calls him Ranger, his girlfriend calls him Ranger, his child calls him Ranger. He even said his mother calls him Ranger.''

* * *

_Anthony _

**I just sat there like an idiot.** What to say?(Besides _none of your freakin' business, lady_.) No way was I gonna say we all call him Ranger, not Carlos or Rick—or only rarely—because we're afraid we'll fuck up and call him by his real name. And we wouldn't want that to happen, would we?

I said, ''This has zero to do with Julie, you need to move on.''

She said, ''I've really come to hate that phrase.''

''Too bad.''

I got as far as the door. And she said in a rather tiny voice, "Are we still on for tonight?"

I turned back and gave her one of my megawatt smiles. "Unless you're not in the mood?"

"Oh I am. Definitely."

_Good to know_...

tbc

thank you for reviewing

a/n I fixed it! Of course CW is a Pacino film, thank you 2G&K for fix! My brain is elsewhere these days...


	20. Chapter 2i, 22

**Shrink Wrapped**

. —

**Chapter 21**

**.**

**Julie's Journal / entry 19**

**Steph came to the shrink** with me and Ranger today.

The shrink said to Steph I've noticed that both you and Julie say that Mr. Manoso is ''perfect.'' [yeah the stupid finger quotes,lol.] Does it ever seem to you that he is doomed to disappoint you? I mean, no one is perfect. And that is an incredibly heavy burden for a young man to have to carry, hard to live up to, don't you think?'

Silence. Long silence.

Then Steph leaned over and patted Marilyn's hand. Steph said I am so sure it is nothing, you don't need to worry, doctor! I am sure there are many good optometrists in Miami. And we will help you find one.

Marilyn kinda pulled away and said What are you talking about! My eyes are just fine!

Steph used the obnoxious soothing voice and Ranger looked like he was laughing inside himself.

Steph walked over to Ranger, standing behind him and she sorta held his face in her hands. She said, Doctor, how can you look at this face—then her hands ran over his shoulders and chest—and this body and not see that he is—yes! Freakin' perfect! Ranger is beautiful, Ranger is hot, Ranger is—tah dah!—perfect!

Ranger broke out in the really wide smile and picked up Steph's hand that was NOT where it should have been, it was on his middle, heading towards his belt buckle! He kissed the palm of her hand and kept smiling. (Please! Not in front of the kids!)

Marilyn got a grip and said, Yes but what if he was injured, what if he gets—old?

Ranger thought, _Old!? LOL._

Steph stood up straight, her hands still on his shoulders and she said, He will always be beautiful to me, he has a beautiful heart, I love him.

Silence. Then Steph said, Oooooops. And Ranger said, Move on, Doc.

...

_Marilyn_

I said _very calmly_, "But what about the kidnapping?"

I wanted them to confront the fact that this supposedly oh so perfect protector and provider allowed these two women he loves to be at risk, to be stolen. Terrified...and almost killed.

I repeated, "Perfect? What about the kidnapping!"

Finally Stephanie said, very vaguely, "Kidnapping?" Like they barely remembered it ever happened.

I pushed back from desk. I suddenly felt confrontational. "This isn't a game, our sessions. Show me fear, regret! Anger...yes, anger. Rage! Show me something! Anything."

Stephanie still stood behind Ranger, her hand on his shoulder, his own good hand holding Julie's hand. Three pairs of eyes blandly watched me. I almost-yelled, "Show me emotion, for God's sake!"

"Move on, Doc."

Dead end, lost cause? These people either don't need my input or don't want to need it. The next day I called Rachel Martine and told her Julie's sessions with me would not continue.

"But I'll be here, and available, if Julie—or anyone—wishes to talk.''

_**...**_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**Julie's Journal/ entry 20 / The End (yay!)**

**Ranger and Steph are going back to Jersey**. With our _entourage_, said Steph rolling her eyes, so funny. Ranger gave Steph a beautiful ring, they will get married! Steph laughed and said, Yeah right, maybe someday.

Uncle Anthony smiled too but he was sad underneath, he is in love with Steph too. It's really hard how when one set of people gets happy the other person gets sad. He ESPed to me that that was part of life and he said in my head, _No worries, chica._ He is sooo cute!

School starts next week. I guess I'll have to tell my story a gazillion times. I won't have any problem writing my essay on how I spent my summer vacation though.

Bye journal! Bye Marilyn. Bye Daddy and Steph and the guys. Hello Middle School.

**the end**

tbc with epilog "One Year Later", here, next week

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Thank you for reviewing


	21. Chapter 23

**[Thanks to Two Guns and a Knife for your help with this chapter/ Rachel's POV, and ideas for how it all happened back in past...]**

**Shrink Wrapped **

**.**

**. **

_Chapter 23/ Epilog _

**Miami, one year later...**

_Stephanie_

**Rachel sat next to me on the deck** of Ranger's—our?—oceanfront house. We relaxed in the shade of an umbrella and sipped ice tea. Rachel was here to pick up Julie and she had arrived early. Ranger and Julie were still in the water, enjoying the waves, and the hot sunny day.

Rachel sighed, looking at the father and child. ''He turned out to be a good dad, hasn't he?" she mused.

I said, ''He's a good man.''

She nodded. ''Yes he is, always has been.'' Then she added, ''It used to bother me that Julie looked so much like him, the constant reminder. But—how can a mother deny her child such beauty?''

Julie_ was_ a beautiful child, and yes, she looked exactly like Ranger, the face/ the hair/ the eyes, the heart-stopping smile. And she had his brilliant mind and athletic body, and endless energy and concentration.

Julie seemed to have gotten nothing from Rachel's DNA. Julie was all Ranger.

I glanced at Rachel. She was an attractive woman, honey-colored skin and expensively colored light brown hair with golden streaks. Her eyes were amber brown, her features even, her nature gentle. I saw what had attracted Ranger all those years ago and I could even see that she and I shared a similarity, not of coloring or facial features but body type, with long legs, wide delicate shoulders, and high round breasts. Rachel's body was still beautiful despite having given birth to three children and as far as I knew she was now very happily married to Julie's step-dad.

But now I saw how she looked at Ranger—and yes he was a sight to behold, all smooth brown skin and long wet dark hair and all those muscles, in omigod, flowered surf shorts—wet! Well, I wondered.

I said, "You loved him."

It was not a question but it was a surprise to me, in a way. Ranger had said their liaison was a casual one-night stand, with a broken condom and resulting pregnancy being the only reason for their brief marriage. Rachel's words and demeanor implied that for her at least, there had been more. Maybe a lot more.

Rachel was still staring at Ranger who was now standing ankle deep in the surf, back to us, as he watched Julie ride a wave. She said, ''How could I not love him, Stephanie? Look at him….''

I simply said, ''Yes.''

She said, ''And not only is he hot, he is smart and honorable, he _is_ a good person.''

I thought, _For a black ops mercenary…..who probably kills people. Only bad people of course but still…._

Rachel added, "But loving him was not enough. It could never be enough, not to make him stay. No one and nothing can hold him if he does not want to be held, you can't hold on to Ranger if he wants to leave. Ranger is the wind, Ranger is smoke-and-mirrors.''

I said, ''I'm not holding him….''

''I didn't mean you, I meant me, Steph. I didn't have a relationship with him like you do, he never loved me the way he loves you. Oh sure, I tried...I tried to make him love me, to make him change for me and Julie. To be a husband and a dad, not a warrior. But he is what he is...and after awhile I got angry. I was bitter, what was wrong with me, why wasn't I—enough? And things got tense...I knew he'd never walk away from Julie, but I was young and I ...I wanted a marriage, a man to love me, to share my life. So one day when he arrived back from who knows where, I handed him the divorce papers."

I said nothing, just offered myself, to listen and share.

"And I'll never forget the relief I saw in his eyes. He was—is—fond of me, he always loved Julie, so very much, but he just wanted to be free, to go, to fight or whatever the hell it is that he does. You know, even when we were married he would never answer my questions, never tell me the truth about it, about what he does.''

I said, ''No.''

She said, ''Do you ask him that?''

I said, again, "No.''

And added nothing more.

I didn't feel obliged to tell her that Ranger tells me, unasked, a little bit about his government work. He tells me what he can, I think, and he never exactly lies to me about it. But he never says the words: _Delta Force_ or _CIA_ or _Black Ops_….And he never says exactly where he is going or where he had been or what he did there. He never talks about how it makes him feel. But that was Ranger, I accepted what he could tell me and we moved on.

Rachel's feelings were more complicated than I had envisioned. And now I wondered if the "accidental" pregnancy had been more planned than Ranger ever knew.

I said, "So you let him go, you did the right thing. And having Julie—well, it kept him in your life, even if just a little bit, didn't it?"

She looked at me, catching my drift. She said, ''He always provided for his child, and for me—he has never let us down.''

I knew that was true because I had researched Rachel's finances during the Scrog affair. From the time Ranger married Rachel, through the pregnancy and all the years of Julie's life, even though another man had adopted Julie—there had been a steady, generous, one might even say lavish, money stream from Ranger.

And of course Ranger was a successful man, and a generous man. What he had he shared, with family, friends, employees. The guys who worked for Ranger respected him and admired him, were loyal to him as a man and a soldier. But they also liked the really excellent salaries and benefits that he provided. No one associated with Ranger went lacking. And this woman had tapped that generosity that he had obviously had even at a very young age. Rachel had never worked in her life, and she was now the wife of a hardworking, successful man. But she was the ex-wife and mother of the child of the wealthy man who bodysurfed the waves in front of us.

And let's face it, Ranger is ten years younger and a million times hotter than her husband Ron, solid citizen though he might be.

It all looked a little calculating to me all of a sudden.

Rachel must have felt my silence and discomfort because she said, "I never asked him for money, Steph. He just always sent it. I only used it for Julie at first but he—_insists—_on sending enough so that all three of my kids can go to private schools and all three have college funds. Maybe I should not have accepted his money but he was adamant, that the kids should all have equal benefits, not just Julie. He said it wasn't fair to my other kids for Julie to have more than they did, that the kids would be hurt by that….And Ron said, well, it's his—Ranger's—way, we have to let him do what he can. Ron says it's how he shows his love for all of us. So I agreed.

I said, ''Yeah.''

She smiled at me.

''He's happy with you, Stephanie, and so is Julie. I will be fine with Julie spending part of her summer with you guys."

I said, ''I will enjoy having her, and Ranger will too. In his own way.''

The two swimmers rode in on a final wave, and stood in the shallows. They waved at us and smiled and we waved back. It made me happy to just to look at them. They looked happy and exhilarated and joyous.

Ranger—joyous—wow. And yes, they were beautiful, so perfectly, exotically beautiful.

I loved them both and thought, _"Mine." _

Poor Rachel….

**The end**

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A/Ns

There is a new Anthony one-shot on my blog tonight. 9/21/12 . Link is in my profile, enjoy...

**Thank you all** for reading and reviewing my story! It was a little odd, so I appreciate everyone who stayed with me and told me they enjoyed it! Thank you all!

My story **The Math Teacher** follows this story, a few years later. TMT is back in my Take a Chance romance arc but it fits with this story's scenario too. And even though it is an Anthony love story, it features Julie, and Ranger and Stephanie with newborn Zoe.


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